Welcome to the second round. For the first round of this mock draft go here.

 33. St. Louis Rams, Kendall Wright, WR/KR, Baylor

Rams need another vertical weapon, RG3′s running mate who helped him get the Heisman is the most decorated WR in Baylor Bears history.

34. Indianapolis Colts, Cordy Glenn, G, Georgia

One of the best rated prospects at the position. Should fit into the system well, and likely make an impact right away.

35. Minnesota Vikings,  Mike Adams, OT, Ohio State

Go here for more on Adams

according to The Scores Report:

He’s massive at 6-foot-7 and 323 pounds, with an 82 1/2 –inch wingspan and huge 11-inch hands. Despite his size, he’s a good athlete with natural bend and is being viewed as a left tackle at the next level (as opposed to some college prospects that are forced to move to the right side because of limitations in their game). He was suspended the first two games of the 2009 season for violating team rules, was cited in January of ’09 for misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia (chargers were eventually dropped) after being stopped for running a stop sign, and was part of the group that was suspended for “Tattoogate.” But he has all of the physical tools to become a top 15 pick in April.

36. Tampa Bay,  Mark Barron, SS, Alabama

Barron is already widely considered a strong NFL prospect. NFLDraftScout.com, a website that rates current college players based on their NFL potential, rates Barron as the second best safety in his class. The website also projects him going in the late first round of the 2012 NFL draft.

For more on Barron go here

37. Cleveland Browns, LaMichael James, RB, Oregon

Peyton Hillis will not be back with the team in 2012, and the Browns don’t have any other starting tailback/feature back candidates on their roster.

James is averaging a national best 149.6 yards on the ground while running for 1,646 yards; 4th in the country. Despite missing two games with a dislocated elbow.

He’s the school’s all-time leading rusher; just 77 yards shy of 5,000. Just don’t confuse with LeGarrette Blount, which is surprisingly easier to do than you think. James took over for the now Tampa Bay Buccaneers tailback at Oregon when Blount was suspended for his involvement in that brawl in 2009.

For more on James go here

For more on the Browns draft.

Oregon Ducks cheerleaders performing at the Rose Bowl

Here’s more videos of the cheerleaders performing at the Rose Bowl

In the meantime, for volume 1 of our Oregon Ducks cheerleader gallery go here

For volume 2 of our Oregon Ducks cheerleader gallery go here

38. Jacksonville, Mohamed Sanu, WR, Rutgers

39. Washington,  Melvin Ingram, DE, South Carolina

From Scores Report:

This isn’t regarded as a very strong draft for pass rushers but Ingram is a raw talent that can get to the quarterback in a variety of ways. He’s a three-technique defensive lineman who proved he could consistently beat blockers on the inside while at South Carolina. That said, 4-3 and 3-4 teams will take a long look at him because he exhibits a fast first step and good burst off the ball. He does a nice job of shedding blockers in the run game as well so again, he’ll intrigue teams that run a 3-4.

40. Carolina,  Jared Crick, DE/DT, Nebraska

Jared Crick has really torn up opposing offenses in his three years with the Nebraska Cornhuskers, Ndamukong Suh’s alma mater. Crick is a dominating player in his own right; but he’s not like Suh. Infractions aside, Suh is a beast among beasts, and the search is on for NFL teams to find the next game-changing DL in his mold. Crick’s name comes up often in this specific discussion because well obviously he played with Suh and wears the same uniform. But Crick has his own legacy to build.

“Suh and I are completely different people, completely different players,” Crick said when asked about how the media is quick to label him the next Suh.

“People just kind of see defensive tackle at Nebraska and think oh he must be like Suh, but I’m really not. He’s a great player, but our games are not alike in any fashion. We’re great friends, but we have completely different games,” he continued.

Getting more specific:

“We have different personalities, Suh is at the big time now, but we’re both humble guys. So that’s a similarity. But when we were playing together, he was more the bigger, stronger guy, more the anchor guy, and I was the quicker guy who would have to beat the 1-on-1 in order for the defensive line to succeed, and that’s still true now,” Jared said.

For more on Crick go here

41. Buffalo, Josh Chapman, NT, Alabama

Josh Chapman served as the backup to All-American Terrence Cody during the 2008 and 2009 seasons, and is currently regarded as one of the better nose guard prospects in his class. Chapman talked about how well and how seriously they take stopping the run.

“That’s about being physical up front and basically establishing a new line of scrimmage. And our guys go out and compete every day and want to stop the run. That’s our main goal here, make the team one dimensional,” Chapman said.

For more on Chapman go here

42. Miami, Ryan Lindley, QB, San Diego

43. Seattle, Marvin McNutt, WR, Iowa

Marvin McNutt, Jr. set the school record for career touchdown receptions with an 80-yarder on Saturday.  He added two more scoring receptions in the second period, giving him 24 for his career; breaking the previous mark of 21, held by former San Diego Charger Tim Dwight (1994-97) and Danan Hughes (1989-92).

McNutt, Jr., who hails from St. Louis, led Iowa receivers with six receptions for 184 yards and three touchdowns.  The receiving yards and touchdown receptions were career bests.  McNutt is kind of like former West Virginia Mountaineers college basketball star Kevin Pittsnogle- a college star who has a small cult following; partially because of his unique name.

Go here for more on McNutt!

44. Kansas City, Aaron Henry, S, Wisconsin

Besides being one of the best interviews in college football, the Wisconsin Badgers Aaron Henry is also a talented prospect at the safety position.

The senior Henry will enter the NFL Draft this spring and as of now ranks as a top-five safety. With a strong showing prior to the draft, he could go as high as the second round, but shouldn’t go any lower than the third or fourth round.The biggest knack on Henry is his tackling. He’s been known to whiff on defenders from time-to-time and doesn’t have the large body-size to to take down big receivers with ease. He’s not a horrible tackler, but it’s not his strong suit.

For more on Henry

45. Dallas, David Wilson, RB, Virginia Tech

46. Philadelphia, Mike Brewster, C, Ohio State

Brewster discussed the value of leadership.

“One thing we talk about before games is we need that poise.”

And the confidence comes from doing, and doing under pressure.

“You can practice as much as you want, but until you get in that game and bullets are flying, you can’t get that experience any other way. Game reps is the best experience you can get. After you go out there the first time, every time after that is just another day at the office,” he said.

Brewster is a 6-5, 293 Junior from Orlando, FL with three years of starting experience. He’s a NFL ready talent, but it’s difficult to predict where centers will get taken on draft day. The best at the position don’t often get picked until the third round at the earliest. Therefore “Brewster’s Millions” (yeah, you knew it was coming, an ’80s pop culture reference, I just couldn’t past that up) will likely have to wait to 2012. I doubt he’ll forgo his senior season.

Go here for more on Brewster

47. New York Jets, Kirk Cousins, QB, Michigan State

Mark Sanchez on the way out? Looking that way. I don’t think Cousins is the heir apparent, but he’s certainly a smart, well-rounded quality prospect that will get a shot.I love this soundbite from Big Ten media day, it shows you how Cousins has that work ethic which guarantees he’ll make it- in some capacity, somewhere.

“I’ll always feel overlooked, I’m always looking for motivation. I just told my brother the other day: I said Kyle, go on the internet and look up every article you can. Go find every preseason magazine you can, and compile a list, of all the quotes, articles, anything that disrespects us, or doesn’t give us our due,” Cousins told the media at conference media day in August.

I’m sorry I put you as #3 in preseason QB power rankings. And State to finish where I did. Today, they’re Rose Bowl favorites. “P4RB” was their preseason slogan. “Prepare for Rose Bowl.” With Cousins at the helm, it may happen. Because as this video attests, he’s not just good at football, but good at life.

For more on Cousins.

48. New England Patriots, Lavonte David, OLB, Nebraska

David has a special NFL role model.

“Ray Lewis, I just like his style of play and the type of motivator he is. I try to copy him as much as I can, but at the same time do my style, stuff he can do I can’t do and stuff I can do he can’t do. So I just take bits and pieces of that.” David said.

Go here for more on David

49. San Diego, Coby Fleener, TE, Stanford

50. Chicago Bears, Kelechi Osemele, G, Iowa State

51. Philadelphia, Brandon Washington, G/OT, Miami

52. Tennessee, Brandon Thompson, DT, Clemson

53. Cincinnati Bengals, Jayron Hosley, CB, Virginia Tech

54. Detroit Lions, Zebrie Sanders, OT, Florida State

55. Atlanta, Ben Jones, C, Georgia

56. Pittsburgh, Kevin Zeitler, G, Wisconsin

Zeitler figures to be a 2-4 round prospect and his considered a tremendous talent. He’s leaner and meaner than many o-linemen. Often you see some chub sticking out when it comes to the big guys up front, you don’t see any of that with Zeitler.

Coming out of high school, he was ranked the third-best player in Wisconsin and No. 39 offensive lineman in the nation by Rivals.com, fourth-best player in the state and 22nd-best offensive lineman in the nation by Scout.com

For more on Zeitler go here.

57. Denver, Chris Polk, RB, Washington

58. Houston, Alameda Ta’amu, NT, Washington

59. New Orleans, Bruce Irvin, DE/OLB, West Virginia

60. Green Bay Packers, Dwayne Allen, TE, Clemson

61. Baltimore, Dwight Jones, WR, North Carolina

62. San Francisco, Lucas Nix, G, Pittsburgh

63. New England Patriots, Andre Branch, DE, Clemson

58. NY Giants, Fletcher Cox, DT, Mississippi State

See ya in the 3rd  round? Maybe?

A.J. Jenkins, WR, Illinois

Russell Wilson, QB, Wisconsin

Harrison Smith, SS, Notre Dame

Mike Martin, DT, Michigan

DeVier Posey, WR, Ohio State

For the first round of this mock draft go here.

This mock is listed in the following databases: FF Toolbox, DC Pro Sports Report, Walter Football

Paul M. Banks is CEO of The Sports Bank.net, an official Google News site generating millions of unique visitors. He’s also a regular contributor to Chicago Now, Walter Football.com, Yardbarker, and Fox Sports

A Fulbright scholar and MBA, Banks has appeared on live radio all over the world; and he’s a member of the Football Writers Association of America, U.S. Basketball Writers Association, and Society of Professional Journalists. The President of the United States follows him on Twitter (@Paul_M_BanksTSB) You should too.

We have a second round to this mock draft  and also made a few changes, starting right near the top. In most cases, but not all, team needs come courtesy of National Football Post

By the way, I handed out my award for the dumbest decision of an underclassman to go pro early. Go here to see which player got it.

You can also check out The Sports Bank’s 2012 NBA Mock Draft by clicking here.

1. Indianapolis Colts, Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford

Ind team needs: QB, CB, DT, OG

The Colts are to being bad at football what white 18-34 year old women are to watching “Grey’s Anatomy.” (See what I did there- a little local pop culture reference).

Yes, Luck was extremely nuts to give up all that money that comes with being the #1 pick. And yes, that’s unprecedented, a #1 overall staying in school. We’ll never know why, we just know he’s going to be the first pick next year. As of now.

Luck as a NFL prospect, possibly the #1 NFL Draft prospect,- his strong arm, excellent read-and-recognitions, quickness and mobility, poise and intelligence on the field or his excellent standing off of it.

In preparation for his match-up with Luck and his Stanford last year, Notre Dame Coach Brian Kelly discussed what impresses him most about the redshirt quarterback.

“He was hitting the wide field, go route, intermediate, and the thing that really got my attention is his ability to run. I think he had a 50 something yard run for a touchdown. So his ability, his escapability, I didn’t know what it was. I now know what it is. The guy is extremely athletic, as well, and he can run. So he brings a big dimension to the table and not just throwing the football,” Kelly said.

To learn more about Andrew Luck GO HERE

2. St. Louis Rams, Matt Kalil, OT, USC

Stl. team needs: WR, DT, OT, DB, FS

You can say the Rams have bigger needs at other positions but Kalil is one of those franchise building LTs, as he’s one of the best OL prospects to come along in quite some time. We all know QBs are the highest paid, the men who protect the blind side of those signal callers are the next highest paid.

Kalil is a 6-7, 295 junior tackle from Corona, CA. He may have to add some muscle weight to become a star at the next level, or maybe over to a different position. Kalil blocked a PAT against Notre Dame last season and shows a lot of agility and movement for a big guy.

Go here for more on the Rams draft

For more on Kalil go here

For bikini photos of the USC Song Girls (their cheerleaders) swim charity event go here

3. Minnesota Vikings, Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma State

Min team needs: WR, OT, DT, FS

This past season there was a big disparity between the Vikes and the rest of their division. They have plenty of needs on both sides of the ball, but I’m finally sold on Christian Ponder as the new future QB. His numbers are ugly, but I believe he as the tools. Time to get him a real weapon to work with. The departure of Sidney Rice hurt the team badly; maybe this will fix that hole.

Go here for more on the Vikings draft

In the scouts’ eyes, Blackmon is rated way ahead, way ahead of South Carolina’s Alshon Jeffery currently. Blackmon’s size and agility make him able to stretch out and corral any balls thrown anywhere near his vicinity.

Coming out of Plainview High School in Ardmore, Oklahoma, he was ranked a three-star recruit by Rivals.com, and the#91 wide receiver prospect in the class of 2008. Yet today, three years later, he’s the only true franchise WR in this class.

For more on Blackmon go here

4. Cleveland Browns, Robert Griffin III, QB, Baylor

Cle team needs: WR, CB, DE, OLB

Griffin, a junior from Copperas Cove, Texas has been sensational so far this season. Through 10 games, Griffin has amassed 4,122 yards of total offense and 38 touchdowns. He leads the nation in total offense (412.20 yards per game) and points responsible for (23.0 points per game) and ranks second overall in passing efficiency with a 191.65 rating.

Griffin has established himself this season as a true NFL QB prospect; and one with great mobility.

Go here for more on the Browns draft

Go here for much more on Griffin

5. Tampa Bay, Morris Claiborne, CB, LSU

T.B. team needs: FS, RB, OLB, CB

Welcome to the era of franchise level cornerbacks. This used to be a position where you’d only see the Deion Sanders types go in the top 5. Now as the league rules require you to pass in order to win, the need for top level talent to defense, break up and intercept those passes becomes ever more pressing. Claiborne, along with Patrick Peterson and the Honey Badger Tyrann Matthieu are making LSU the nation’s first and foremost CBU.

Claiborne started 12 games in 2010 and recorded 37 tackles and a team leading five interceptions. He was named a second team All-SEC selection.

This year he had a dominating season and won the Jim Thorpe Award, given to the best defensive back in college football.

Go here for much more on Claiborne

6. Washington, Ryan Tannehill, QB, Texas A&M

Was team needs: QB, DE, CB, RT, OG

Is this a stretch? Of course, but so was every QB taken after Cam Newton in the 2011 draft. Signal callers are more over-drafted than every other position, and Tannehill is no excpetion. When Landry Jones and Matt Barkley decided to return to school, his stock jumped way up. It’s not the only place he’s out-kicking  his coverage in life.

Look at this fiance, model Lauren Ufer;

Go here for more pics of Tannehill’s hot fiance.

7. Jacksonville, Jonathan Martin, OT, Stanford

Jax teams needs: WR, OT, FS, CB

I’m not sold on Blaine Gabbert as the future in Jax, but there’s nothing the Jags can do here without trading way up. They should look into protecting him better now. Start with the 6-6, 304 protector of the Andrew Luck blind side. Martin is all world and a franchise building prospect.

8. Miami Dolphins,  Riley Reiff, OT, Iowa Hawkeyes

The Hawkeyes really know how to produce O Linemen: the big cornfed boys of the Upper Midwest.

Reiff (6-foot-6, 300 pounds) was named first team All-Big Ten by both league coaches and media in 2011 after earning second-team honors in 2010.  He was also named first-team All-America in 2011 by Pro Football Weekly and also earned All-America recognition from Phil Steele’s College Football, SI.com, and Yahoo! Sports.

Go here for much more on Reiff

For more on Iowa Hawkeyes Cheerleader Rebecca Hodge, the new Miss Iowa

9. Carolina, Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama

Car team needs: OG, WR, LB, DT

It’s been fun watching last year’s #1 overall pick Cam Newton throw for a ton of yards, but the Panthers will end up right back here as long as they keep giving up just as many yards as they throw for.

Kirkpatrick is a big, physical defensive back with speed and agility. He won the Bobby Johns Defensive Back Award and captured the Bart Starr Most Improved Player Award in the spring.

Hightower sung his praises:

“He’s one of those guys who stepped up a lot in trying to be one of those vocal leaders on the team, trying to get everyone amped up and ready to go.”

To learn more about Kirkpatrick GO HERE

10. Buffalo, Courtney Upshaw, DE/OLB, Alabama

Buf team needs: OT, DL, WR

You can never have enough pass-rushers, especially when you play the Patriots twice a year. Upshaw could have the most “upside” on that Bama defense; which really says something given how many pro prospects are on the team.

Courtney Upshaw is considered one of the best pass-rushing outside linebackers of his class and a potential first-round pick in this draft.

Upshaw is most known for his recovery of a Garrett Gilbert fumble on an Eryk Anders sack with just 3:08 remaining in the 2010 BCS National Championship Game, that sealed the title for the Crimson Tide.

Go here for much more on Upshaw

11. Kansas City,  David DeCastro, G, Stanford

KC team needs: OT, NT, ILB, FS

One of the top rated OL prospects in a pretty deep class, and a great fit in K.C.

12. Seattle, Nick Foles, QB, Arizona

Sea team needs: QB, DE, CB, WR

Is this a stretch? Of course, but so was every QB taken after Cam Newton in the 2011 draft. Signal callers are more over-drafted than every other position, and Tannehill is no exception.

Tavaris Jackson is not the long term answer, period.

13. Arizona, Quinton Coples, DE, North Carolina

Arizona team needs: OT, TE, OLB, CB

They could use first pick on some more help blocking up front. Did you see how the Pittsburgh DL made the Cards’ OL their prison bitch in midseason? Then again Coples is too good a prospect to pass up, and no one could fault Arizona for augmenting their pass rush. Certainly not the weak corners, who would no doubt like the help.

14. Dallas, Alfonzo Dennard, CB, Nebraska

Dal team needs: OG, CB, DE, WR

Alfonzo Dennard is a 5-foot-10, 205-pound senior from Rochelle, Ga who had 4 INTs and 7 PBUs last year. He returned an interception 31 yards for a touchdown in the NU regular-season win at Washington. Dennard was good enough to consider jumping to the NFL last season, but obviously elected to return.

He was a first-team All-Big 12 selection last season despite being overshadowed by New York Giants first-round draft pick and teammate Prince Amukamara.

To learn more about Dennard go here

By the way, you may have heard a thing or two about Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders Melissa Kellerman, the girl inadvertently tackled by Jason Witten on the sidelines Thanksgiving day. You can see many more pics of her, including some bikini shots here

15. Philadelphia Luke Kuechly, ILB, Boston College

Phi team needs: LB, OG, OT, DT

I never thought I’d have the Eagles picking this high, and it could get even worse as Vince Young’s supposed “dream team” is looking like a nightmare right now. Very tough to figure where ILBs will go. They tend to get under-drafted. Kuechly is the real deal though, a very bright spot on a very bad team.

16. NY Jets, Brandon Jenkins, OLB/DE, Florida State

NYJ team needs: OG, OLB, DE, WR

A natural pass rusher who continues to grow into his frame and who excels with his speed rush. Probably his best trait is his quickness off the ball. Has good instincts, knows how to play the game and react to the ball.

17. Cincinnati Bengals, Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama

Cin team needs: RB, OG, CB

Richardson should be a much better pro than his predecessor in Mark Ingram. Richardson can bench press a Buick, power clean a Ford and decline press an Oldsmobile. He’s got DB speed with DL strength.

Richardson also talked about the influence Ingram has had on his career.

“He’ll always have a big role in my life. I try to follow in his footsteps, he’s one of the best running backs I’ve ever seen come through the collegiate level and play the game. He helped me out a lot with my vision, he had great vision. He could stop on a dime and cut real fast, that’s one thing I tried to pick up from him,” Richardson said.

Many runners have influenced Richardson, including Reggie Bush and the Vikings Adrian Peterson.

Richardson is frequently compared to Emmitt Smith, but his physique and running style are more similar to Earl Campbell. He’s also drawn comparisons to Michael Turner the Burner and O.J. Simpson (on the field, not off of it, of course).

To learn more about Richardson go here

18. San Diego, Vontaze Bufict, LB, Arizona State

S.D. team needs: OT, NT, SS, ILB

The Chargers front seven is aging, and I wouldn’t be surprised if they kept picking at various positions there for the next couple of drafts. Bufict has seen his stock fall a little this year, because he’s had only a very so-so campaign. And the Sun Devils free fall as the year went on didn’t help. Still, Jake Plummer and Pat Tillman have shown you that Sun Devils can make it in the NFL. Plus, I think Bufict will make up for his lackluster numbers by his combine showing.

19. Chicago Bears, WR, Michael Floyd, Notre Dame

Chi teams needs: OT, WR, FS, DL

Some people rate Floyd higher than I do, but do they know how poor his 40 time at the combine is likely to be? That’s a big reason he stayed in school another year. He’s been as good a receiver as any in the nation this year, but watch his stock fall in February.

With three alcohol related legal offenses during his time in South Bend, you know character concerns will be front and center. Of course, no story about Michael Floyd is complete without mentioning that the true key to his realization of that enormous potential is staying healthy. Floyd led all FBS wideouts in the nation with a 29.09 yards per catch average and he was tied for the national lead in receiving TDs when he suffered a broken collarbone against Michigan State in ’09.

But last year he only missed one game, and had his true breakout year. When you look at his stats and size, you see what makes him a blue-chip prospect. He’s passed up Golden Tate, Jeff Samardzjia and Tim Brown to claim all the major receiving records in ND history.

Go here for much more on Floyd

20. Tennessee, Alshon Jeffery, WR, South Carolina

Ten team needs: DT, SS, OLB, OG

The Titans could use another weapon in their offense. Jeffrey is a tour de force, but imagine what he’d be if he had a real QB throwing to him. Stephen Garcia was a joke- perfect embodiment of a 10 cent head, million dollar arm.

21. Cincinnati Bengals, Jerel Worthy, DT, Michigan State Spartans

Cin team needs: RB, OG, CB

Too good a value to pass up here at this position.

Michigan State DT Jerel Worthy’s NFL Draft stock is about as high as anyone on the Spartans, or even anyone in the Big Ten. He also has a tattoo that entails everything that makes college football such an awesome game. Go here to see it. Take a closer look and notice the tattoo’s homage to the rivalry with Michigan. What an affront it is to the Wolverines, love it!

To learn more about Worthy go here

22. Cleveland, Whitney Mercilus, DE, Illinois

Cle team needs: OL, RB, LB, DT, SS

With a name like Mercilus, pronounced merciless, you have to be a college football player. And a player at the very aggressive attacking position of defensive end too- that helps. Illinois Fighting Illini junior DE Whitney Mercilus is just that; a man with a name built for his role like former Illini OL Eric Block, or current Buffalo Bills DB Reggie Corner.

“I do get a lot of comments, I just walk in public, and people hear my name, and they’re like really? Mercilus that’s your last name? Yeah, it’s a cool last name and you have to play with a name like mine,” Mercilus said.

If there’s one thing the coaches could change with Whitney, it’s getting him to be less timid.

“Yeah, it’s very opposite of my name. Same thing my teammates and former teammates have told me- You’ve got to play more aggressive, stop thinking, go faster, yo look at your last name. It makes no sense for you to be playing like this,” Mercilus said at media day.

Mercilus is a finalist for the lombardi award, and has come out of obscurity to lead the nation in sacks, and he’s among the national leaders in sacks and tackles for losses.

For more on Mercilus, go here

23. Detroit Lions, Lamar Miller, RB, Miami

Det team needs: CB. LB, OT, OG

Yes, I know they just took Mikel Leshoure out of the Illinois in the last draft (the former Illini missed the season with a ligament tear), but this year illustrated the need for depth at this position. See Jahvid Best. You can get down to your third or fourth tailback more quickly than you’d think.

24. Pittsburgh Dont’a Hightower, ILB, Alabama

Pitt team needs: OT, OG, DT, ILB

He’s kind of like a real life Alvin Mack from “The Program.” So dominant and so fast and so strong, you should have seen him push LSU’s QB back with such ease. And the Tigers signal caller is a big man himself.

For more on Hightower go here

25. Denver, Nick Perry, OLB/DE, USC

Den team needs: DT, CB, OG, RB

Welcome to the team where Jesus plays starting quarterback.

Denver keeps winning with Tim Tebow, even though his delivery and style is UGLY. Like actor Justin Long ugly; he’s that difficult to watch. Of course, people have overlooked just how much of an impact their #1 pick from last year, Von Miller has made. He’s the team’s true star. How about getting him some help, so he could become more dominating- say a versatile pass-rusher?

26. Houston, Peter Konz, OG/C, Wisconsin Badgers

Hou team needs: OG, NT, FS, DE

The Texans are the AFC NASCAR division champ, and draft in a very different position than they’re used to during their franchise’ short history. Houston should look for OL depth. Maybe to better protect those signal callers who keep getting hurt.

Konz is a redshirt junior from Neenah, Wisconsin who might declare early. Center prospects are hard to figure since they don’t often get drafted very high, but Konz could play another position in the NFL.

Go here for much more on Konz

27. New England Patriots (from New Orleans), Casey Hayward, CB, Vanderbilt

NE team needs: SS, WR, DE, CB

The Pats pass defense is so abominable (6 of the first 8 passers they faced in 2011 hung 300+ yards on them) they need to get pass coverage help anywhere they can get it. All the personnel cuts in the back four have left them razor thin in depth.

Hayward (5-11, 188) should enter the draft with a well-earned reputation as a ballhawk. He seems like a second-round draft pick, but defenders who find the ball and seize often shoot up the charts. Playing in the SEC, and looking good against some of the best receivers will land Hayward in the first round.

By the way, here’s the “interesting” picture that Rob Gronkowski tweeted out to supermodel Kate Upton

Also, Gronks was forced to publicly apologize for these pics with adult film star Bibi Jones

28. Green Bay Packers, Ronnell Lewis, DE/OLB, Oklahoma

GB team needs: DE, OLB, SS, OG

The Pack do give up a lot of passing yards, and could use some help in the secondary.

Due to academic issues, Lewis had to skip his senior season and enter the draft; even though he really could have used another year to add more bulk and show league scouts that he can play multiple positions. The prevalence of the 3-4 defense in the league has created more need for outside pass-rushers and collegiate defensive ends who transition to outside linebackers in the professional ranks.

Learn more about Lewis here.

29. Baltimore, Nick Toon, WR, Wisconsin Badgers

Bal team needs: OT, CB, SS, ILB

This isn’t the Ravens most pressing need, but imagine what Flacco could do pairing this rookie wideout with Anquan Boldin? There’d be a lot less Ray Rice screen patterns that’s for sure!

Over the past decade, the Wisconsin Badgers have emerged as an underrated hot-bed for NFL talent in the Midwest. The Badgers ability to develop professional talent peaked in 2011 when two of their alumni were drafted in the first round of the 2011 NFL draft, the Houston Texans DE J.J. Watt (11th overall) and the Chicago Bears OL Gabe Carimi (29th overall). Next in line for the Badgers in the NFL is senior wide-out Nick Toon. Just three games into the 2011 season, it appears imminent that Toon has the skills and big-play ability to become a main-stay on whatever NFL team calls his name in April of 2012.

For more on Nick Toon go here

30. San Francisco, Janoris Jenkins, DB, North Alabama

S.F. team needs: CB, WR, DE, OLB

Jenkins would go much higher if not for his multiple arrests. Niners can use help/depth at corner.

31. New England Patriots, Devon Still, DT, Penn State

You’d be hard pressed to find an All-American college football season as obscure and overlooked as Devon Still in 2011. Sure, the pedophilia scandal at Penn State is much bigger and more important than football.

And the media is treating it as such they should. Also, leading to Still’s relative obscurity is the fact that offense sells tickets, and gets the glory. Defense is overlooked. And as well know, the PSU offense is awfully bad, with the quarterbacking and passing game phantasmagoric.

However, Still, a 6-5, 310-pound senior is getting it done for a Penn State defense that ranks third nationally in points against (13.0 per game), trailing only Alabama and LSU.

The Nittany Lions’ defense is eighth nationally in yards allowed per game (287.3). Still has been Penn State’s defensive leader and is tied for 11th in the country in tackles for loss (16.5 for 75 yards), of which four of those are sacks for 34 yards in losses.

Go here for much more on Still

32. NY Giants, Zach Brown, LB, North Carolina

NYG team needs: TE, DT, OT, LB

A good value pick for the Giants, as GM Jerry Reese is as much a value GM as it comes. Oh wait, it’s also a needs-based pick as the Giants have enured a lot of injury issues in the defensive front; highlighting the need to build depth there.

We added a second round of this mock draft for the first time in 2011-12! Here it is.

This mock is listed in the following databases: FF Toolbox, DC Pro Sports Report, Walter Football

Paul M. Banks is CEO of The Sports Bank.net, an official Google News site generating millions of unique visitors. He’s also a regular contributor to Chicago Now, Walter Football.com, Yardbarker, and Fox Sports

A Fulbright scholar and MBA, Banks has appeared on live radio all over the world; and he’s a member of the Football Writers Association of America, U.S. Basketball Writers Association, and Society of Professional Journalists. The President of the United States follows him on Twitter (@Paul_M_BanksTSB) You should too.

On February 1^st, the day before Groundhog Day, a different annual right of passage, one with about as much accuracy and validity as Groundhog Day occurred, National Signing Day.

When asked to comment on the hoopla and hype concerning this ostentatious narcissistic-fest, ESPN College Football analyst Kirk Herbstreit expressed his discontent over the craziness surrounding this day, the “all about me” attitudes and the “overblown theatrics” that these High School students exhibit over their self-imposed drama over which universities ball cap they will chose, symbolic of the team they have chosen to attend.

Herbstreit demonstrated the flaws of the team rankings as compiled by Scout.com, Rivals.com and his networks own ESPNU, citing how teams like Wisconsin, Boise State and Arkansas traditionally rank near the bottom of their own conference’s recruiting rankings yet either win their respective conference titles or are perennially selected for primetime BCS bowls.

So did Herbstreit come off as a newly-aging codger, a shill to the conventional traditional powers that alleged pundits pay homage to, even when not warranted, or is he ‘bang on’ and has exposed the fraud that is this seemingly worthless display?  I offer you some examples to support Herbstreit’s claim.

Aaron Rodgers – Despite record-setting statistics at Pleasant Valley High School in Chico,California, Rodgers garnered little attention from any Division I football programs.  In fact, he desperately wanted to attend Florida State University but was rejected.  His best “offer” was the opportunity to ‘walk on’ at the University of Illinois; however, Rodgers declined and chose to attend Butte Community College in Oroville, CA, a local junior college about 15 miles south of Chico.  After that record-setting JUCO season and due to his high SAT scores, Rodgers was able to immediately transfer to the University of California–Berkleythen being drafted by the Green Bay Packers – and the rest was history.  So, Rodgers did not experience the “rapture” of National Signing Day.

Jerry Rice – Although Rice became an all-state split end and defensive back he was not considered talented enough to warrant scholarship offers from Division I programs and opted instead to attend Mississippi Valley State University, a Division I-AA program.  While at MVSU, Rice blossomed into a star, setting NCAA marks for receptions (102) and receiving yards (1,450) and was named a Division I-AA All-American – as a junior.  Rice exceeded these records during his senior year with 112 receptions and 1,845 receiving yards.  And although Rice’s NFL combine time in the 40-yard dash allowed him to plummet to the 16^th overall pick in the 1985 NFL Draft, he landed with the San Francisco 49ers, its Hall of Fame Quarterback Joe Montana and its legendary Hall of Fame coach in Bill Walsh – again, the rest was history.  Were Rice to be rated utilizing the ‘star system’ – a scale of 1 to 5 stars with 5 stars being the best – some would argue if he could have garnered a single star.

Nick Mangold – Mangold attended Archbishop Alter High School in Kettering, Ohio and, although he garnered All-Ohio honors as a senior, during Ohio State’s vaunted 2002 recruiting class, Mangold did not even receive a 1-star ranking.  Mangold was a 3-year starter at Ohio State, taking over for injured Alex Stepanovich during his sophomore year and earned All-Big Ten honors for his Junior and Senior years.  Although his Ohio State career was successful, it took what was described as a “tremendous performance” during the 2006 Senior Bowl game to propel Mangold as the top center prospect in the subsequent 2006 NFL Draft, when the New York Jets selected Mangold with its 29^th overall selection.  Since then, Mangold has been selected for the NFL Pro Bowl on 4 occasions and was named All-Pro on 3 occasions.  It’s hard to believe that any NCAA Division I program would take such a risk on someone who couldn’t earn a single star rating.

Please note the sarcasm in assessing these three stellar NFL stars.  It’s designed to prove a point as to why the National Signing Day is an over-hyped display, one with little credibility.

So let’s look at the often hyper-analyzed team rankings.

For a prime example of how flawed this team-ranking system is, I offer the results of the 2^{nd and} 3^rd-ranked teams in Scout.com’s 2008 team recruiting rankings:

Notre Dame (2^nd) – Notre Dame garnered a recruiting class of 23 High School senior phenomenon’s, headlined by three 5-star recruits:  WR Michael Floyd, DE Ethan Johnson and QB Dayne Crist.  Of the three, only Floyd appears to be headed for serious NFL interest, although Johnson’s stock has dropped due to an injury-plagued senior year.  Crist experienced a checkered career at Notre Dame and ultimately chose to transfer to rejoin former Notre Dame head coach Charlie Weiss at the University of Kansas.

For what would have been most of Notre Dame’s 2008’s recruiting class’ senior season, Notre Dame finished with a disappointing 2011 record of 8-5 even with a perceived “savior” coach in Brian Kelly.

Miami (FL) (3^rd) – “The U” gathered a robust 33 recruits consisting of four 5-star recruits in CB Brandon Harris, LB Arthur Brown, DT Marcus Forston and WR Aldarius Johnson.  Of the four, Harris had the most solid University of Miami career being a semi-finalist for the Jim Thorpe Award during his junior year and being selected in the 2^nd round of the 2011 NFL Draft by the Houston Texans.  Brown left the Hurricane program in 2009 and transferred to Kansas State where he is playing for the Wildcats with much success.  Forston suffered an ankle injury in 2009 after an outstanding freshman year and has returned to the Hurricanes starting lineup.  Finally, Johnson was suspended for his senior season at Miami for a salacious tweet regarding the best strip clubs in Miami, this after being linked to convicted Ponzi-schemer and former Miami super-booster Nevin Shapiro.

Miami finished with a record of 6-6 under first-year head coach Al Golden but was ineligible for a post-season bowl game due to the results of a NCAA probe of claims made by Shapiro.

So, if the recruiting rankings were considered foolproof, their respective seasons should have catapulted them to the BCS Championship game much less a BCS Bowl game.

So how could such anomalies occur, given such seemingly foolproof analysis?  Because the jump from High School to a major Division I university is so great.  Examples such as Rodgers, Rice and Mangold occurred because they didn’t possess the necessary variables considered for success at the Division I college level – height, weight, 40-yard dash times, other.  In short, all three of these NFL greats were classic “late bloomers”, players who physically developed during their college years.

And it’s this seismic jump that often plagues previously perceived high school phenoms – for example, there’s a great difference between eluding a lumbering 205-lb. defensive end in high school in front of 8,000-10,000 fans versus running for dear life against a 280 lb. defensive end with speed greater than yourself in front of possibly 100,000 manic fans.

So, Kirk Herbstreit was as ‘tuned in’ to the hypocrisy that is National Signing Day as Lady Gaga is tuned in to what resonates with today’s popular culture.

Like many seasons before, the Wisconsin Badgers do not have a top ranked recruiting class. In fact, Rivals.com has the Badgers at 48th and Scout.com at 53rd.

It’s been a tumultuous off-season for the Badgers who have lost six assistant coaches to other jobs and now have signed one of the smallest recruiting classes ever under Head Coach Bret Bielema.

Even with the disclaimers, I wouldn’t bet against the Badgers who often exceed their expectations. Here are the notable signees (four-star recruits) who hope they can play a part in the Badgers returning to the Rose Bowl for a third year in a row.

Vince Biegel (pictured above)

- 6’3, 225, LB

- Wisconsin Rapids, Wis. (Lincoln HS)

High School: Four-star recruit by ESPN, Rivals and Scout … No. 73 player nationally by Rivals … ranked as the No. 3 outside linebacker by Rivals, No. 15 by ESPN and No. 23 by Scout … top-ranked player in Wisconsin by ESPN and Rivals … finished his career with 425 tackles, 27 sacks, 10 interceptions, 10 forced fumbles, five fumble recoveries and four defensive touchdowns … in senior season, named U.S. Army, USA Today and Parade All-American … also the Gatorade Wisconsin Player of the Year and Conference Player of the Year … 2011 National Underclassman Midwest Ultimate Top 60 … winner of the John Anderson Award (outstanding linebacker) and finalist for the Dick Butkus Award

Bart Houston

- 6’4, 215, QB

- Dublin, Calif. (De La Salle HS)

High School: Four-star recruit by ESPN and Scout, three-star recruit by Rivals … ranked by Scout as the No. 7 quarterback in the country, by Rivals as the No. 12 QB and by ESPN as the No. 15 QB … holds school records for career passing yards and completions, surpassing Matt Gutierrez who played three seasons in the NFL … invited to ESPN Elite 11 QB camp and played in Semper-Fidelis All-American Bowl

Vonte Jackson

- 6’0, 190, RB

- Kenosha, Wis. (Bradford HS)

High School: Four-star recruit by Rivals and Scout and three-star recruit by ESPN … ranked as the No. 21 running back in the nation by Rivals, No. 22 by ESPN and No. 28 by Scout … No. 2 player in the state by ESPN and Rivals … missed almost all of senior season after tearing his ACL with 16 seconds left in second quarter of first game, still managed to rush for 160 yards and two touchdowns on 12 carries and catch one pass for 38 yards before injury … carried 68 times for 956 yards and 13 touchdowns and caught 14 passes for 266 yards and four touchdowns in his junior year.

DJ Singleton

- 6’2, 195, S

- Union, N.J. (St. Peter’s Prep)

High School: Four-star recruit by ESPN and Scout and three-star recruit by Rivals … No. 14 safety in the country according to Scout, No. 18 by ESPN and No. 27 by Rivals … as a senior, selected for the US Marine All-American All-Star Game and the USA Today International Bowl … also chosen all-state, all-metro and all-county after posting 53 tackles, four sacks, three forced fumbles and 12 tackles for loss … named all-county and U.S. Army All-American Combine second-team after making 40 tackles with three sacks and three forced fumbles as a junior.

Dan Voltz

6’4, 295, OL

Barrington, Ill. (Barrington HS)

High School: Four-star recruit by Rivals, Scout and ESPN … seventh-ranked guard in the nation by Scout and No. 8 by Rivals, No. 19 offensive tackle in the nation by ESPN … third-ranked player in Illinois by ESPN and fourth-ranked in Illinois by Rivals … named all-state as a senior by Illinois High School Football Coaches Association, Illinois News-Gazette and Chicago Tribune, also named Mid-Suburban All-Conference and Daily Herald All-Area … IHSA All-State Academic Team member … team captain as a senior

The full list of new Badgers with videos can be found on the school’s website by clicking here.

What do you think of the Badgers 2012 signing class? Let me know by commenting below!

Nick Grays is a senior writer at the Sports Bank where he covers the Wisconsin Badgers, Green Bay Packers, and Milwaukee Brewers. He also enjoys to share Fantasy Advice from time-to-time. Follow him on Twitter by clicking here or visit his blog Nick Knows Best.

Urban Meyer’s first recruiting class at Ohio State is ranked 3rd or 4th in the nation, depending on who you ask. So much for being hurt by NCAA sanctions/the stain of Jim Tressel/Terrelle Pryor corruption. Meyer’s recruiting class and alleged lack of class has caught the attention of Wisconsin head coach Bret Bielema.

The Badgers leader was asked Wednesday if he thought Meyer would change recruiting in the Big Ten and Bielema had some choice quotes. From CBS Chicago:

“I hope it doesn’t change. I think the potential for change is there,” Bielema said. “There are a few things that happened early on that I made people aware of that I didn’t want to see in this league, that I had seen take place in other leagues. Other recruiting recruiting tactics, other recruiting practices that are illegal.

“I was very up front and was very pointed to the fact, actually reached out to Coach Meyer and shared my thoughts and concerns with him. The situation got rectified.”

Wow. Smack down! Sounds like something shady could be going down with Meyer, who’s sanctified in the college football world…for now. I predict stuff will come out on him eventually. This Big Ten banter reminds me of 2007, when Illini Coach Ron Zook hauled in an impressive class despite the program being really bad. It prompted then Michigan State coach John L. Smith to accuse him of chicanery and perhaps even malfeasance (and not in those words) stating “where’s there’s smoke, there’s fire.” Well, at least the Zooker hung around for a little while longer than Smith did.

Meanwhile back in Columbus:

“Everything went smooth today,” Meyer said. “I love to recruit and I love to recruit great players.”

The 2012 recruiting class includes 16 from the state of Ohio, including as many as five of the Top 10 players in the state according to most rating services.

Meyer said the defensive linemen who signed were a real strength of this class and the key development. All four of the defensive linemen are among the Top 100 players in the nation, with Noah Spence, a 6-4, 245-pounder from Harrisburg, Pa., and Adolphus Washington, a 6-5, 245-pounder from Cincinnati, each considered among the Top 5 defensive ends in the nation. Tommy Schutt, who goes 6-3, 300 and is from Glen Ellyn, Ill, is Top 5 defensive tackle. And Se’Von Pittman, a 6-5, 245-pounder from Canton, Ohio, is in the Top 25 for all defensive linemen. Three of the four are considered five-star prospects with the fourth rated as a four-star.

“The defensive line is the strength of this class and the prize of this recruiting class,” Meyer said. “But with that said, I am really pleased with the entire group as a whole. We filled some needs with some quality players, and I think overall we have a very solid class.”

Paul M. Banks is CEO of The Sports Bank.net, an official Google News site generating millions of unique visitors. He’s also a regular contributor to Chicago Now, Walter Football.com, Yardbarker, and Fox Sports

A Fulbright scholar and MBA, Banks has appeared on live radio all over the world; and he’s a member of the Football Writers Association of America, U.S. Basketball Writers Association, and Society of Professional Journalists. The President of the United States follows him on Twitter (@Paul_M_BanksTSB) You should too.

Like every college football coach on this day, OU Head Coach Bob Stoops is extremely pleased with his national signing day haul. His class, ranked 10th by Rivals, is massive at 25. It has 1 5-star, 11 4-star and 13 3-star recruits.

“This is an excellent class of 25 and I felt like we met our needs in all areas. When we were finished we felt that we had the numbers where we needed them,” said Stoops. “I feel very good about the way we finished and our ability to recruit in the last week of the recruiting period. We closed out well at the end of our recruiting window.

The state of Texas produced the most signees with seven on the list followed by the state of Florida with four student-athletes. Oklahoma and California both produced three student-athletes while Ohio produced two.

“It feels good to have the ability to recruit as many states as we did and bring in student-athletes from 11 different states,” added Stoops. “Having the reputation that gives you the opportunity to recruit nationally is really beneficial to this program.”

The greatest emphasis in Stoops’ 14th signing class was at wide receiver and offensive line where Oklahoma signed five athletes to each position. The Sooners picked up three cornerbacks, three tight ends, three defensive ends and three running backs. One defensive tackle, one quarterback and one linebacker rounded out the 2012 class.

 According to Scout, which currently ranks OU #8 in the nation:

Oklahoma’s top commitment for the Class of 2012 is the same as it was for the Class of 2011. Trey Metoyer is one of only two Scout 5-Star prospects in the last three years who failed to qualify. He spent the last year at Hargrave Military Academy in Chatham, Va. Of the new players to watch on the commitment list, keep an eye on Derrick Woods (5’11/180) of Inglewood, Calif. Woods is a dynamic athlete who can play receiver or defensive back on the next level. Running back Alex Ross (6’1/205) of Jenks, Okla. is a punishing running back who can get the tough yards when Oklahoma needs them. The Sooners continue to poach commitments from other teams lists grabbing safety Zack Sanchez (6’0/165) from Baylor on Monday.

Full Signing List

·         CB Kass Everett (5-11, 195, Philadelphia, Pa., Pierce College)

·         TE Brannon Green (6-4, 260, Altamont, Kan., Fort Scott CC)

·         TE Taylor McNamara (6-5, 235, San Diego, Calif., Westview HS)

·         WR Trey Metoyer (6-2, 198, Whitehouse, Texas, Hargrave Academy)

·         DE Chaz Nelson (6-3, 240, Columbus, Ohio, Garden City CC)

·         DT Jordan Wade (6-4, 290, Round Rock, Texas, Stony Point HS)

·         WR Durron Neal (6-1, 195, St. Louis, Mo., De Smet Jesuit HS)

·         QB Trevor Knight (6-3, 200, San Antonio, Texas, Reagan HS)

·         TE Sam Grant (6-6, 240, North Royalton, Ohio, St. Edward HS)

·         OG John Michael McGee (6-4, 275, Texarkana, Texas, Texas HS)

·         ATH Daniel Brooks (5-10, 170, Port Lavaca, Texas, Calhoun HS)

·         WR Sterling Shepard (5-11, 185, Oklahoma City, Okla., Heritage Hall HS)

·         RB David Smith (6-1, 197, Midlothian, Ill., Bremen HS)

·         CB Zack Sanchez (6-0, 172, Keller, Texas, Central HS)

·         DE Mike Onuoha (6-7, 230, Edmond, Okla., Santa Fe HS)

·         DE Charles Tapper (6-4, 265, Baltimore, Md., City College HS)

·         OL Kyle Marrs (6-6, 317, San Antonio, Texas, Brandies HS)

·         CB Gary Simon (6-1, 180, St. Petersburg, Fla., Gibbs HS)

·         C Ty Darlington (6-3, 275, Apopka, Fla. Apopka HS)

·         OT Will Latu (6-5, 315, St. Petersburg, Fla., College of the Canyons)

·         RB Alex Ross (6-1, 205, Jenks, Okla., Jenks HS)

·         WR Derrick Woods (6-1, 185, Inglewood, Calif., Inglewood HS)

·         WR Courtney Gardner (6-3, 215, Reno, Nev., Sierra College)

·         RB Damien Williams (6-1, 215, San Diego, Calif., Arizona Western College)

·         LB Eric Striker (6-1, 195, Seffner, Fla. , Armwood HS)

Paul M. Banks is CEO of The Sports Bank.net, an official Google News site generating millions of unique visitors. He’s also a regular contributor to Chicago Now, Walter Football.com, Yardbarker, and Fox Sports

A Fulbright scholar and MBA, Banks has appeared on live radio all over the world; and he’s a member of the Football Writers Association of America, U.S. Basketball Writers Association, and Society of Professional Journalists. The President of the United States follows him on Twitter (@Paul_M_BanksTSB) You should too.

The Wolverines Sugar Bowl win over Virginia Tech is reason for optimism, especially considering that it came in the first year of what many U of M fans hope is a long and illustrious tenure for head coach Brady Hoke. But it would be premature to say that Michigan is now ready to compete for national championships on a yearly basis.

(guest post from Christopher Johnson, Big Ten or Bust.com)

Yet unlike the previous three years, in which wolverines’ fans despaired over the failed Rich Rod experiment, the Maize and Blue appear to be trending upward. An 11-2 season was a good start, but Hoke has continued to impress by assembling what appears to be one of the nation’s top recruiting classes.

Scoring points hasn’t been the problem in recent years in Ann Arbor. While Greg Mattison completely transformed the Wolverines’ defense this year, there still remains a lack of elite talent on that side of the ball.

Hoke has addressed the deficiency: seven of Michigan’s top nine prospects in this in this year’s class are defenders. Scout.com ranks nine of the Wolverines’ top defensive recruits as four stars.

That’s not to say that the offensive side of the ball was, by any means, taken for granted. With Denard Robinson set to depart after the 2012 season, Hoke made sure that his successor would be well-protected by landing two four-star and one five-star offensive tackle.

Overall, the class is undoubtedly one of the top two in the conference as well as one of the best in the nation. The Wolverines have had a bow on their 2012 class since the end of summer, barring a few late commits.

Hoke failed to close out strongly, missing on two four-stars—offensive tackle Joshua Garnett and cornerback Armani Reeves—as well as three-star tight end Sam Grant. But the Wolverines are still waiting on four-star offensive tackle Jordan Diamond, who’s set to announce Friday and would bolster a class that already features many top-level offensive lineman.

While the Urban Meyer effect at Ohio State slightly weakened Michigan’s claim to outright recruiting supremacy in the Big Ten, Hoke should be lauded for signing the program’s best class in years. If this kind of talent continues to flow into Ann Arbor, it’s only a matter of time before the Maize and Blue reestablish themselves as national championship contenders.

Top Recruit: Kyle Kalis, five-star OT

Kalis is Michigan’s lone five-star recruit, and landing the 6-foot-5, 302 lb lineman was especially gratifying for coach Hoke. Kalis decommitted from Ohio State early last summer in the wake of the swag-for-tattoo scandal. He then offended Buckeyes’ fans even more by committing to the Wolverines on June 10.

After an impressive career at St. Edward HS in Lakewood Ohio, Kalis drew interest from many of the nation’s top programs, including Alabama, LSU, Florida, Auburn. Notre Dame, Nebraska, Penn State, Ohio State and Iowa.

Comparisons to Cleveland Browns All-Pro left tackle Joe Thomas are numerous. Kalis is a mauler who’s equally capable as a run and pass blocker. He has great size, but he also gets great leverage and has the athleticism to pull and make blocks downfield.

Recruits to Watch:

Terry Richardson, four-star CB

Richardson played his high school ball at Cass Technical in Detroit then decided to stay local, verbally committing on May 19 . The 5-foot-9, 160-lb corner had offers from top-level programs such as Miami, Oregon, Oklahoma, USC, Michigan State and Alabama.

While he may not possess prototypical size, Richardson remains one of the top corners in this year’s class. He makes up for his lack of size with his quickness and high football IQ. He’s also excels in run support and tackles well.

Joe Bolden, four-star LB

Bolden graduated early from Colerain high school in Cincinnati and is now enrolled at Ann Arbor. One of the top players at his position, Bolden drew interest from Arkansas, Stanford, West Virginia, Boston College and Penn State, just to name a few.

The 6-foot-2, 225-lb backer fits the Paul Posluszny-A.J. Hawk mold. Although not praised for his athleticism, Bolden has the ability to make plays sideline-to-sideline. He’s a bit undersized, but doesn’t shy away from contact and tackles well. He’s also effective dropping into pass coverage. With Greg Mattison’s known tendency to tinker with formations and coverages, Bolden’s versatility will be a blessing.

Devin Funchess, four-star TE

Although listed as a tight end, Funchess lined up at wide receiver as well as linebacker throughout his impressive career at his high school in Farmington Hills, Mich. He drew interest from Michigan State, Nebraska, Missouri, Illinois as well as many other top programs before committing to the Maize and Blue on April 22.

At 6-foot-5, 215 lbs, Funchess has a wide receiver’s body. He has great hands and runs routes well. He’s also great with the ball in his hands, often flashing his ability to make defenders miss and pick up yardage after the catch. Before he develops into a top-flight tight end, though, Funchess will have to put on some weight and work on his blocking.

Ondre Pipkins, four-star DT

One of Michigan’s biggest losses after this season is defensive tackle Mike Martin. Martin was a disruptive run stopper who thrived in Mattison’s scheme. Enter Pipkins, the 6-foot-3, 320-lb defensive tackle from Kansas City, Mo. He was one of the most prized recruits at his position, drawing interest from Alabama, Florida, Michigan State, Oregon, Oklahoma and USC, to name a few. Pipkins signed with Michigan on August 8.

Pipkins’ combination of size and explosiveness will make him a run-stuffing force on the Wolverines’ defensive line. He will draw double and triple teams, which opens the door for the Wolverines’ linebackers to have success when blitzing.

Dennis Norfleet, four-star RB

A signing day stunner: 5-foot-7, 165-lb running back Dennis Norfleet had previously been committed to Cincinnati and had offers from Michigan State and Tennessee. But the Detroit, MI, running back, who’s already drawing comparisons to former Oregon State star Jazquizz Rodgers, has signed a letter of intent signed a letter of intent with the Maize and Blue Wednesday.

His size is an obvious negative, but Norfleet’s open field explosiveness and agility are second to none. He’s also a capable receiver. Norfleet will be a versatile weapon in Al Borges’ pro-style scheme.

Class ranking in Big Ten: 1

Happy National Signing Day. Northwestern’s 21 commits (the largest class of the Pat Fitzgerald era) hail from 10 states. The Wildcats signed 13 of their 21 players from three states—five from Pennsylvania, four from Illinois and four from Ohio. Scout ranks the class 5th in the Big Ten, 44th in the nation. Those numbers are higher than usual in Evanston.

In addition, Northwestern announced this past weekend the addition of highly touted wide receiver Kyle Prater (Maywood, Ill./Proviso West), who is transferring to Northwestern from USC. More on Prater here. His presence beefs up the class quite a bit. And there’s some top prospects in it, we’ll highlight the highlights of it.

Let’s start with the jewel of the class.

IFEADI ODENIGBO (pronounced if-AH-dee o-DEN-uh-bo)

6-3 • 217

Centerville, Ohio • Centerville

Projected Position: Outside Linebacker

High School: ESPN.com four-star (ESPNU 150), Under Armour All-American and SuperPrep All-America selection Ranked as No. 51 overall prospect by ESPN.com … Ranked sixth-best defensive end and No. 1 player in the Midwest Region and Ohio by ESPN.com … Ranked No. 5 linebacker, No. 9 defensive end and No. 109 overall prospect nationally by Scout.com … Ranked No. 99 in the Rivals.com Rivals 100 … SuperPrep All-Midwest selection, ranked as No. 20 overall prospect in the region and No. 19 linebacker in the nation … Ranked No. 98 overall prospect in the nation, eighth nationally among linebackers and fifth overall prospect in Ohio by 247Sports.

Odenigbo spurned Ohio State after the coaching change in order to come to Evanston. He will major in economics and hopes to maybe one day get a MBA, Kellogg, the university’s prestigious business school.

ADAM DePIETRO (pronounced da-PEET-ro)

6-5 • 270

Lancaster, Pa. • Lancaster Catholic

Projected Position: Offensive Tackle

High School: ESPN.com three-star, SuperPrep All-Midwest offensive lineman … Ranked 14th best player in Pennsylvania and 46th nationally among offensive tackles by ESPN.com … Ranked 18th among Pennsylvania players and 65th nationally by Rivals.com … Ranked 26th among all Northeast players by SuperPrep.

MALIN JONES (pronounced MAY-lin)

6-0 • 205

Naperville, Ill. • Joliet Catholic

Projected Position: Running Back

High School: Rivals.com three-star running back … Ranked 10th overall player in Illinois and 26th nationally among running backs by Rivals.com … Regarded as the 23rd-best running back in the nation and 11th-best prospect in Illinois by 247Sports … Ranked 42nd running back nationally by Scout.com … Ranked 42nd best player in the Midwest by SuperPrep, earning All-Midwest honors … No. 33 player in the state and No. 87 running back in the nation, according to ESPN.com

GREG KUHAR (pronounced KOO-har)

6-3 • 275

Concord Township, Ohio • St. Edward

Projected Position: Defensive Tackle

High School: Rivals.com four-star and ESPN.com three-star honoree … Ranked 19th overall player in Ohio and 19th nationally among defensive tackles by Rivals.com … SuperPrep All-Midwest honoree … Ranked No. 52 nationally among defensive tackles by Scout.com

CONNOR MAHONEY

6-4 • 260

Malvern, Pa. • Malvern

Projected Position: Defensive Tackle

High School: ESPN.com three-star honoree … Ranked 64th nationally among offensive guards and 33rd overall player in the state by ESPN.com … Ranked No. 68 overall as a three-star offensive guard in the nation by Scout.com … Ranked No. 56 overall prospect in the state by 247Sports

Paul M. Banks is CEO of The Sports Bank.net, an official Google News site generating millions of unique visitors. He’s also a regular contributor to Chicago Now, Walter Football.com, Yardbarker, and Fox Sports

A Fulbright scholar and MBA, Banks has appeared on live radio all over the world; and he’s a member of the Football Writers Association of America, U.S. Basketball Writers Association, and Society of Professional Journalists. The President of the United States follows him on Twitter (@Paul_M_BanksTSB) You should too.

Notre Dame Coach Brian Kelly did suffer one major setback today, as 5-star wide receiver Deontay Greenberry, Mr. Football in the state of California, verbally committed to ND 8 months ago. Today, he changed his mind and instead signed with Houston.

However, there’s still a lot left in this class. ESPNU ranks the Irish class #9, Scout #15.

The nation’s No. 1 quarterback prospect and state of Indiana Mr. Football Gunner Kiel’s circus act style recruitment saw him committed to the Hoosiers and LSU before enrolling at Notre Dame in January. 5-Star cornerback Tee Shepard is the best overall prospect in this class, and he’s Greenberry’s cousin, so Deontay was expected to follow him to South Bend.

Offensive tackle Ronnie Stanley out of Nevada is another national recruit who could have a big future in South Bend.

Among the 16 players that will be freshmen for the Irish this fall are:

-       Four who were selected for the U.S. Army All-American Bowl in San Antonio: DL Jarron Jones, QB Gunner Kiel, RB KeiVarae Russell and DB Elijah Shumate.

-       Five who played in the Semper Fidelis All-American Bowl in Phoenix: DL Sheldon Day, WR Justin Ferguson, OL Mark Harrell, DB Tee Shepard and OL Ronnie Stanley.

-       Nine members of the SuperPrep All-America Team: QB Gunner Kiel, RB KeiVarae Russell, WR Chris Brown, OL Ronnie Stanley, DL Jarron Jones, DL Sheldon Day, DB Tee Shepard, DB Elijah Shumate and DB C.J. Prosise.

Eight members of the Rivals.com 250: QB Gunner Kiel (20^th), DB Tee Shepard (76^th), DB Elijah Shumate (113^th), RB KeiVarae Russell (124^th), OL Ronnie Stanley (176^th), RB Will Mahone (197^th), DL Jarron Jones (199^th) and DL Sheldon Day (244^th).

-       Nine members of the Scout.com Top 300: QB Gunner Kiel (38^th), DB Tee Shepard (39^th), DL Sheldon Day (50^th), DB Elijah Shumate (55^th), OL Ronnie Stanley (66^th), RB Will Mahone (201^st), RB KeiVarae Russell (207^th), DL Jarron Jones (229^th) and DB CJ Prosise (276^th).

-       Seven members of the 247Sports Top 247: QB Gunner Kiel (24^th), DB Tee Shepard (50^th), DL Sheldon Day (81^st), DB Elijah Shumate (103^rd), DL Jarron Jones (107^th), RB KeiVarae Russell (122^nd) and OL Ronnie Stanley (145^th).

Paul M. Banks is CEO of The Sports Bank.net, an official Google News site generating millions of unique visitors. He’s also a regular contributor to Chicago Now, Walter Football.com, Yardbarker, and Fox Sports

A Fulbright scholar and MBA, Banks has appeared on live radio all over the world; and he’s a member of the Football Writers Association of America, U.S. Basketball Writers Association, and Society of Professional Journalists. The President of the United States follows him on Twitter (@Paul_M_BanksTSB) You should too.

When the college football season started, University of Michigan Head Coach Brady Hoke made some very arrogant comments at Big Ten media day. He said “we’re not rebuilding,” and “we’re Michigan” a few times. He proved right, and us media types wrong as he was selected as the Maxwell Football Club Collegiate Coach of the Year for the 2011 season.

Hoke wasn’t the Wolverines first choice, or even the second or third, but the “Michigan Man” was named the 19th head coach in University of Michigan football history on Jan. 11, 2011.

A former assistant coach at U-M (1995-2002), Hoke led the Wolverines to an 11-2 record (6-2 Big Ten) and a quirky, controversial Sugar Bowl victory (which was a quirky, controversial BCS berth to begin with) in just his first season. Hoke had previous head coaching stints at San Diego State from 2009-10, where he earned a 13-12 record, and his alma mater, Ball State, where he went 34-38 from 2003-08. Collectively, Hoke is 58-52 in nine seasons as a head coach.

He wasn’t all that impressive a hire on paper last year, but look at the quick turnaround.

The Big Ten Conference’s coaches voted Hoke as the inaugural recipient of the Hayes-Schembechler Coach of the Year award, while the Big Ten media named him the Dave McClain Coach of the Year. He was also named a finalist for three other national Coach of the Year awards: Bear Bryant, Eddie Robinson and Liberty Mutual.

He is the third Michigan coach to be honored by the Maxwell Football Club joining Lloyd Carr in 1996 and (Bo) Schembechler in 1989.

Paul M. Banks is CEO of The Sports Bank.net, an official Google News site generating millions of unique visitors. He’s also a regular contributor to Chicago Now, Walter Football.com, Yardbarker, and Fox Sports

A Fulbright scholar and MBA, Banks has appeared on live radio all over the world; and he’s a member of the Football Writers Association of America, U.S. Basketball Writers Association, and Society of Professional Journalists. The President of the United States follows him on Twitter (@Paul_M_BanksTSB) You should too.