This year's Draft host city: Nashville

All of TUFF's Rowdy Friends gathered at the Grand Ole Opry House in May for the league's 12th annual Rookie Draft, so you might say the Draft had Gone Country. Did last year's TUFF Bowl teams, Minnesota and Indianapolis, find Friends in Low Places? Which teams found bargains worthy of a Boot Scootin' Boogie? Which rookies are going to give their owners an Achy Breaky Heart? Your answers are right here, y'all!

Oh, and here's a quick review of what these little icons mean:

	Significant improvements on a TUFF team's starting lineup, could be cornerstone players for that team, and/or are great values for where they were taken.
	High risk/high reward picks (e.g. players picked relatively high because of his upside, even in spite of character, medical and/or job situation concerns).
	Either a reach and/or there was at least one player the team should have taken.
	NEW for 2012--"curveball" picks that are good, but leave me asking why a team didn't take a player I expected them to take or address another need on the roster (example from last year: Cleveland moving up to 1.05 to take RB Mikel Leshoure instead of going with a QB or WR at 1.09).

1.01 Houston Tethered Swimmers — RB Trent Richardson

	In the real world: Richardson's got a fantastic job situation to go with his talent. Not many NFL teams have "bellcow" every-down backs anymore, but with Richardson, the Cleveland Browns (who traded up to #3 to get him) will be one of the few who do. Mel Kiper said of him last September: "A physical specimen, Richardson can be an absolute star. Explosive, he is powerful through the hole and bounces off tackles with ease." He's multidimensional (can run, catch and block) and reliable (doesn't fumble the football), and Todd McShay went so far as to call him the best RB prospect since Adrian Peterson (2007).
	In the TUFF world: One torn ACL (Jamaal Charles') sent the Tethered Swimmers reeling, and they simply never recovered from that. The bright side is that their backfield could be a lot more formidable with Richardson and a fully recovered Charles. There was no way in Hell that Jeff Rathburn was going to move down from this spot.
	TUFF trivia: The Swimmers were the only team that failed to get 70 fantasy points from their starters at any time in 2011.

1.02 Pittsburgh BIG PAPAS — QB Andrew Luck

	In the real world: Luck takes over as the Indianapolis Colts' franchise QB. Many draft experts believe him to be the best QB prospect to come along since Peyton Manning. There are only two possible issues with him: Luck had the luxury of being able to fall back on Stanford's effective running attack, and According to KC Joyner, Luck made eight times as many bad decisions in the final six games of 2011 as he did in the previous six games. (Note: That article is only available to ESPN.com Insider subscribers; it also appears in ESPN The Magazine, March 5, 2012 issue, page 77.) But safety Rahim Moore—who played against him as a UCLA Bruin, and is now with the Denver Broncos—told ESPN The Magazine in 2010: "Luck puts the ball where you can't imagine. I broke on a route, knowing exactly where the ball would be. He still fit it in somehow."
	In the TUFF world: In 2007, the BIG PAPAS won their first AFC Championship. At various points between then and last season, they had Jamaal Charles, Chris Johnson, Mario Manningham, Peyton Manning, Vernon Davis and Reggie Wayne and Greg Jennings, but today, they all play for other TUFF teams. On top of that, both of their 2011 first-round picks, RB Delone Carter and QB Blaine Gabbert, struggled as rookies. Now, the BIG PAPAS are looking to rebuild in earnest after a few "win-now mode" trades that backfired (WR Roy E. Williams back in 2007, RB Steve Slaton in 2009 and RB Pierre Thomas in 2010; all three of those players are also no longer with Pittsburgh).  That rebuilding process begins with a new starting QB in Luck. Matt Cassel took a step back last year; apparently he isn't the same without Charlie Weis mentoring him. And Blaine Gabbert (one of the BIG PAPAS' first-round picks last year) had a terrible rookie year, leading some writers to wonder if the Jacksonville Jaguars should consider him a "sunk cost."
	TUFF trivia: Like the Manning brothers, Luck also has NFL bloodlines; his father is former Houston Oilers quarterback Oliver Luck.

1.03 Carolina Convicts — RB Doug Martin

	In the real world: Martin snuck into late Round 1 in the NFL Draft when the Tampa Bay Bucs, disenchanted with LeGarrette Blount, traded up with the Denver Broncos for the 31st overall pick. Martin simply does more things well. NFL Films guru Greg Cosell believes Doug Martin runs with the "mentality of a feature back." Scouts, Inc. considered him to be among the best RBs for competitiveness, power/balance and in terms of what he brings to the passing game (catching/blocking).
	In the TUFF world: The Cons have upgraded their running game from "moribund" to "subpar" in recent years, and with Martin, they take another stab at improving it. He'll add needed depth at the position, at the very least. He is perhaps the only rookie RB other than Trent Richardson who could be starting right out of the box this year. Carolina passed up Ryan Williams (potential Beanie Wells handcuff) last year, but maybe it was just as well; he tore his knee, and Wells took full advantage by rushing for 1,047 yards and 10 TDs. Besides, taking WR Julio Jones over Williams has already become a fine example of drafting the best available player instead of drafting for need, and drafting for talent instead of job situation.
	TUFF trivia: Roy Helu (Carolina's 2nd-round pick last year) did something Wells and C.J. Spiller have yet to do—run for 100 or more yards in 3 straight games (Helu did so in weeks 12-14).

1.04 Arizona Outlaws — QB Robert Griffin III

	In the real world: Griffin, the 2011 Heisman Trophy winner, is a big reason why Baylor hasn't been the Big 12's whipping boy in recent years. The Bears' 2010 and 2011 bowl appearances are the first they've made since joining that conference in 1996. Mel Kiper says: "Has elite athleticism, and has altered and improved his delivery, resulting in better accuracy on downfield throws. Smart kid who will shine during interviews." Durability could be an issue (he missed most of 2009 with a torn ACL). However, Griffin's terrific performance at the Scouting Combine speaks not only of his athletic ability, but also his competitiveness: Instead of just conceding that Luck was the #1 pick, he did everything he could to make the Colts at least consider him. Greg Cosell prefers Griffin over Luck himself. Kiper's mentioned of an improved delivery piques my interest, if only because last year, a few QBs that were recently drafted out of the Big 12 did not fare too well: After some success as rookies in 2010, Sam Bradford (Oklahoma) and Colt McCoy (Texas) suffered in their second year. In addition, Josh Freeman (Kansas State) took a step back in his third year with the Bucs. And on top of all that, Blaine Gabbert (Missouri) had a rough rookie season. Those four went a combined 9-39 as NFL starting QBs in 2011 (5-39 if you leave out games against the Indianapolis Colts). Griffin is probably better than they are, but just the same, I'd expect some "growing pains" as he adjusts from the Big 12 to the NFL.
	In the TUFF world: Last year, the Outlaws traded two draft picks (their second- and third-rounders this year) and used up 135 TUFFs on Kevin Kolb, Tarvaris Jackson and Charlie Whitehurst to fill what was, at that time, a gaping hole at QB. They were not the long-term answer, obviously. Give Jeff Zamzow credit, too, for not cutting Carson Palmer in spite of his threats to retire; he is now starting for the Raiders. Still, Jeff is smart not to put too much stock in a quarterback who is 32 years old and threw 15 INTs in 9 games last year (including 3 games where he threw 3 or 4 picks). After seeing how Cam Newton produced last year, you have to look at RG3 as a big upgrade for 'Zona.
	Notable quotable: Jeff Zamzow last May 15, after I said in the 2011 Wrapup that his team had "multiple holes to fill": "This freakin' team is a crater, not just a collection of holes! Some say the glass is half full, this team doesn't even have a glass!"

1.05 Tennessee Taz Devils — RB David Wilson

	In the real world: Great athlete, has burst, 4.40 speed, can be a game-breaker, first-round-caliber talent and ability. Mike Mayock of NFL Network listed him as his #2 RB—a one-cut back he likens to LeSean McCoy. Greg Cosell also ranked him #2, and so did the team that selected him at the end of Round 1, the New York Giants. His job situation has loads of potential as well: Wilson went to the Giants with the 32nd overall pick. By coincidence, the Giants' running attack ranked 32nd in the league. The Giants jettisoned Brandon Jacobs earlier this year. Ahmad Bradshaw, their current lead RB, has seen his yards-per-carry average decline in each year he's been in the NFL. On top of that, Bradshaw has also had a history of foot injuries. I have two concerns about Wilson, however: He fumbled seven times out of 290 carries in 2011, losing four. That makes Wilson a dicey pick—consider two 2008 draftees: Jamaal Charles overcame his fumbling issues, but Steve Slaton did not.  Maybe the Giants' coaching staff can fix that. Then there's the matter of performance in short-yardage and goal-line situations. This scouting report says: “Still very raw as an inside runner, running too indecisive and struggling to find running room at the (line of scrimmage) ... wavers and hesitates too much when the clear opening isn't there and ends up going east/west for a loss.” If you don't believe that, here's the statistical breakdown for 2011 on ESPN.com. Add up his first-and-goal, second-and-goal, third-and-short and fourth-and-short numbers, and you get 35 carries for 49 yards and 2 TDs. Trent Richardson, LaMichael James and Ronnie Hillman all did way better in those situations. In fairness to Wilson, he only started at running back for one year (he had played behind Ryan Williams previously), whereas Richardson, James and Hillman had been starting for much longer.
	In the TUFF world: I give Tennessee credit for moving up to make this pick. They came so close to returning to the TUFF playoffs for the first time in years last year, and the credit for their resurgence goes to Lonnie Daniel for the last two drafts (WR Demaryius Thomas, TE Jermaine Gresham and RB LeGarrette Blount two years ago; then WR A.J. Green and QB Jake Locker last year). But two of their top three RBs went from being potentially every-down backs to runners stuck in "timeshare" situations (Michael Bush going to Chicago, and Blount benched for Doug Martin in Tampa Bay). Even if Bush and Shonn Greene do get plenty of touches, they still have bye weeks like everybody else, and it's nice to be able to rely on Wilson instead of Blount on those bye weeks. Lonnie must have seen plenty of Wilson to like what he saw, being that Wilson's from Virginia Tech and Lonnie went to an ACC rival, Georgia Tech.
	Pick traded: On May 5, the opening day of the TUFF Draft, Pittsburgh dealt this pick to Tennessee for Tennessee's own first-rounder (1.09) and Minnesota's (1.16). Tennessee had to move up because there was no way Wilson was going to fall to 1.09.

1.06 Detroit Vipers — WR Justin Blackmon

	In the real world: Mel Kiper said in 2010, "(Blackmon is) tough to redirect at the line. He's a tremendous deep-ball threat and someone who is constantly pushing himself to get better." At 6'1", he's not “big” in the same sense as Randy Moss or Vincent Jackson. He doesn't have blazing speed, either, but then again, Michael Irvin didn't and Larry Fitzgerald didn't. But his body control and hands remind Mike Mayock of Fitzgerald. He also ran a 4.46 40 at his Pro Day on March 9. A character red flag came up when Blackmon flew to Las Vegas after Oklahoma State's bowl game, rather than take the charter with the rest of the team back to school; then not work out at the Combine. "He has been raised by Dez Bryant (another Oklahoma State alum who had character issues the year he was drafted)," alleged one NFL GM. In Jacksonville, he instantly becomes the best WR they've had since Jimmy Smith retired over six years ago. Some have said that a wide receiver is only as good as the quarterback throwing to him, and right now, that QB is Blaine Gabbert.  However, a wise man once said to me, "Job situations change, talent doesn't." If Gabbert sucks again this year, then come next year, Blackmon will be catching passes from whoever the Jaguars draft.
	In the TUFF world: A year ago, I said in my Draft Wrapup, "I don't need WRs as much as other teams do," because I thought that between Randy Moss, Donnie Avery, Jerricho Cotchery and Taylor Price, I had good set of reserve wideouts. (In fact, I didn't draft any wide receivers last year.) Was I ever wrong. Filling three wide receiver spots wasn't easy last year. So, for the second time ever, I have used a first-round pick in the TUFF Rookie Draft on a wide receiver. (The only other time I did so was Bryant Johnson in 2003.) Blackmon, the long-overdue replacement for Moss, should be an instant upgrade over Jacoby Ford, whose durability issues from college resurfaced last year and who may be better suited as a reserve. What Blackmon did in each of the last two years is more than double the next-highest Oklahoma State receiver, which tells me he was productive even when double- and triple-teamed, and that his stats were not entirely the product of playing against Big 12 defenses. I'm thrilled to have him on board.
	TUFF trivia: A statistic: Out of the 26 games Oklahoma State played in the past two seasons, Blackmon scored at least one TD in 23. Also, this isn't the first time this franchise selected a Fred Biletnikoff Award winner. When they were the Chicago Blaze, they took Mike Hass, who won that award in 2005, with the 53rd overall pick in 2006.

1.07 Pittsburgh BIG PAPAS — WR Michael Floyd

	In the real world: Floyd, who set Notre Dame career receiving records for catches (271), yards (3,686), 100-yard games (17) and touchdowns (37), will play the role that Anquan Boldin used to play in the Arizona Cardinals' offense. Similar in size to 2007 1st-rounder Dwayne Bowe, and some scouts have compared the two. Kevin Weidl (Scouts, Inc.) wrote on February 17: "Floyd is a bit tight in his routes and lacks ideal suddenness, but his downfield ball skills are second to none. He's a physical receiver who tracks the ball well and uses his 6'3", 229-pound frame to his advantage in jump-ball situations." Todd McShay: "He is really good and has a little more explosiveness." A 4.47 40—faster than smaller, lighter receivers like Kendall Wright—could have people thinking twice about putting Floyd in same "possession receiver" mold as Keyshawn Johnson. Gil Brandt even suggested that Floyd could be drafted before Justin Blackmon after his Pro Day performance. KC Joyner notes that Floyd's yards-per-attempt averages in 2011 were inferior to those of his peers. Thing is, the yards-per-attempt averages of the QBs at Notre Dame the past two years (Dayne Crist, Tommy Rees) have been more than two yards less than their predecessor (Jimmy Clausen). (Joyner retorts that "Reuben Randle also had mediocre QBs throwing to him. A.J. Jenkins had better stats in an inconsistent offense. Even Alshon Jeffery posted better numbers and South Carolina had a really bad offense for most of the 2011 season.") Three alcohol-related offenses in less than two years nearly ruined his 2011 season before it even started (and had he been suspended, that would have brought down his draft stock); however, it sounds like he has overcome that particular issue.
	In the TUFF world: Pittsburgh has a young and developing wideout corps, headed up by Victor Cruz and Antonio Brown. Floyd could also start right away, although he'll have to compete against Golden Tate and Damian Williams. Andy Lothschutz is happy to have Floyd; he admitted that he had reservations about having both Blaine Gabbert and Justin Blackmon on the same team.
	Cheer, cheer for Old Notre Dame: Pittsburgh now has three Golden Domers on their roster: Floyd and Tate (who were teammates in 2008-09) and RB Ryan Grant. Tate was a first-round pick by the BIG PAPAS in 2010.

1.08 Tampa Bay Meat Goats — RB Isaiah Pead

In the real world: The burning question in St. Louis is this: Is Pead a long-term successor to Steven Jackson, or a speedy, pass-catching complement to the veteran bellcow? He doesn't have elite elusiveness but is quick and shows good vision setting up blocks. Versatile, quick, undersized (5'10”, 193), could be a third-down/change-of-pace back. Adam Schefter says the Rams do envision him as that long-term successor to Jackson. NFL Films guru Greg Cosell calls Pead a "dynamic and decisive north-south runner," and said there were some similarities to Jamaal Charles coming out of college.

In the TUFF world: The Meat Goats took a chance on talented but injury-prone DeMarco Murray last year in their ongoing efforts to rebuild their backfield. And just when it looked like a really good pick—Murray's job situation turned from a crappy one into a great one with Marion Barber III and Tashard Choice gone and Felix Jones continuing to underwhelm—boom, Murray's history of injuries reared its ugly head (in the form of a broken ankle in Week 14). Even before that, he looked like he had hit a wall (Weeks 11-13: 3.35 yards per carry). So, for the third year running, Paul Granholm has used the 1.08 pick on a running back. And to be fair, they have to rebuild their depth at running back considering that two years ago, Clinton Portis' wheels fell off and Knowshon Moreno became an injury-prone disappointment. But given the Rams' front-office foibles in recent years—for example, they cut Laurent Robinson, who went on to star in Dallas last year—I don't buy into any claim that the Rams think of him as Jackson's long-term replacement. To me, he profiles as a third-down back.

1.09 Pittsburgh BIG PAPAS — WR Kendall Wright

In the real world: Kendall Wright went 20th overall to the Tennessee Titans, which was a bit of a surprise considering they have Kenny Britt and Damian Williams already (meaning they could have put off drafting a WR until later). But consider this: If Jake Locker can connect with Nate Washington—they connected for 4 TDs in Weeks 11, 14 and 15—than Locker could have a ball throwing to a fully recovered Kenny Britt and Wright as his top two wideouts. Tony Pauline of SI.com tweeted back in January that Wright, not Oklahoma State's Justin Blackmon, is the top WR on several NFL teams' draft boards. Why? Wright is faster than Blackmon and doesn't have off-field issues. “He reminds me a lot of Steve Smith (Panthers),” says Todd McShay, "but he drops a lot of passes and has a lot of double-catches." Although his 40 time at the Combine was actually slower than the larger, heavier Michael Floyd, he did run a 4.43 40 at his Pro Day workout.

In the TUFF world: Pittsburgh continues rebuilding its WR corps—which is already miles ahead of where it was in 2010—with Wright, who was one of the top 3 wideouts on many draft boards. So between Floyd and Wright, they have picked up 2 of the draft's best wideouts. And the PAPAS also have a handcuff for Wright in Damian Williams, who himself showed great improvement in his second season as a Titan with 592 yards and 5 TDs.

1.10 Cleveland Steamers — WR Brian Quick

In the real world: Quick has great size for an NFL wideout (6'3½", 220 lb.) and very good speed for that size (4.50 40) but is raw in terms of running routes, and comes from Appalachian State, a Division II school better known for its monumental upset of Michigan in 2007 than for producing NFL talent. The St. Louis Rams took him 33rd overall, over Rueben Randle, Alshon Jeffery and Stephen Hill, so you can imagine they expect Quick to step up and become something special down the road (like they did with Donnie Avery when they took him around the same spot in the 2008 NFL Draft). NFL Films' Greg Cosell argues that Quick "has a chance to be the best wide receiver in this draft class." But for right now, it's another multi-horse race for WR jobs in St. Louis, as Quick has to contend with Steven Smith, Danario Alexander, Danny Amendola, Chris Givens (another rookie), Brandon Gibson, Greg Salas and the suspended Austin Pettis.

In the TUFF world: Unlike most TUFF teams, Cleveland doesn't have any pressing needs in the starting lineup; in my estimation, it just needs to improve its depth at running back and wide receiver. And in Quick, they did take a player who was both drafted early on in the NFL Draft, has a nice blend of size and speed, and lands in a very good potential job situation. But when you take a wideout from a small school who got picked by an NFL team whose front office bungles its way to a top-2 pick every other year, then you've got to ask yourself: How strongly do you feel about Quick? And on the subject of picking up any Rams wide receiver these days—do you feel lucky, punk?

1.11 Houston Tethered Swimmers — TE Coby Fleener

In the real world: A reunion with Andrew Luck could make him the Colts' #2 receiving target (behind only Reggie Wayne). He was Luck's #1 receiver at Stanford and could be his safety valve in Indy. He rose up above Dwayne Allen and Orson Charles to be the top-rated TE in the draft, due mainly to his speed, but he's not much of a blocker. The Colts drafted Allen a round later.

In the TUFF world: One thing that has frustrated the Tethered Swimmers for years is their inability to get consistent production out of the tight end position, despite spending early second-rounders on Heath Miller (2005) and Jared Cook (2009). And it's a good pick when you consider the potential of Fleener's job situation. Also, Fleener has gone at or around this spot in most rookie drafts, with Allen generally going more than a round later, so the feeling is that Allen will not siphon away a lot of receptions and TDs from Fleener. But Jeff Rathburn had told me prior to the draft that he was looking at WRs at 1.11, and in my opinion, that should have been the way to go (so Stephen Hill, A.J. Jenkins or Alshon Jeffery). Why? His WR corps is in a really bad way. Out of the wideouts he had going into the draft, the three most productive in 2011 were Davone Bess, Jason Avant and Andre Caldwell. None of them produced as many fantasy points as either of Houston's top two TEs (Cook and Ed Dickson). Ugh.

1.12 New Orleans Chocolate City — RB Ronnie Hillman

In the real world: Hillman went pro after his redshirt sophomore season and was taken by the Denver Broncos in Round 3. Steve Muench (Scouts, Inc.) wrote on February 14: "Hillman is the kind of undersized (5-10, 192 pounds) back with durability concerns that teams normally shy away from. He carried the ball 311 times in 2011 and that kind of wear and tear will only increase concerns about him being nicked up. Hillman also had ball security issues. However, he is only 20 years old and played just two seasons at San Diego State, meaning he still has plenty of unrealized potential. Hillman is a slippery runner who could turn into a valuable third-down contributor if he can get stronger." Mel Kiper pointed out that Hillman produced like he did last year despite the fact that San Diego State no longer had Vincent Brown or DeMarco Sampson. Could he be another clone of Darren Sproles?

In the TUFF world: New Orleans made this pick to get both additional depth at running back, not to mention a potential starter (the Broncos' other RBs are Knowshon Moreno, who has been hurt in each of the last two years; and Willis McGahee, who turned 30 last October). As it is, their #2 RB (Fred Jackson) could be stuck in a timeshare.  But one caveat: Two years ago, Ken Mach mentioned that the reason he passed on Kevin Smith in 2008 was that "they burned him in college with all those carries" (referring to Smith's final year at Central Florida when he had a whopping 450 carries in 14 games). Smith has gotten nicked up every season in the pros, and he's about 20 pounds heavier than Hillman.

1.13 Baltimore Brown Clowns — RB Lamar Miller

In the real world: Another redshirt sophomore, Miller's 2011 stats (1,272 yards and 9 TDs on 227 carries) are even better than they look once you consider that, after suffering a shoulder injury late last September, he played through it. He has agility and acceleration, but not much experience in the passing game. "He reminds me a lot of Chris Johnson," says Todd McShay. But he fell to Round 4 in the NFL Draft for three reasons: May only be a two-down back: "If you put the Miami tape on, Miller doesn't show up on third down, short yardage, or goal line," said Mike Mayock on the April 11 NFL Network special, Path to the Draft. On that same show, Mike Lombardi also pointed to Miller's inability to pass protect as a reason he shouldn't go particularly high. Health (knees and shoulders). Concerns about his ability to digest an NFL playbook But his job situation with the Dolphins is promising. For starters, Reggie Bush will become a free agent after 2012, the final season of his current contract. Second-year pro Daniel Thomas is coming off a rough rookie season (3.5 yards per carry and ineffective in short-yardage situations).

In the TUFF world: Given that Michael Turner just turned 30 and Jahvid Best is prone to concussions, the Brown Clowns' top priority was to shore up their depth at running back. Miller's potential 2013 job situation, plus the fact that he goes around this spot in most of the other 16-team rookie drafts I've seen, make this pick a good one.

1.14 Minnesota Fats — WR Rueben Randle

In the real world: Randle, drafted by the Giants at the end of Round 2 in the NFL Draft, will replace free agent departure Mario Manningham in New York. He's got great size (6'4”), and according to KC Joyner, had very good YPA averages at LSU despite having to play with two QB's (Jarrett Lee and Jordan Jefferson) who were limited enough that they didn't fully earn the trust of their offensive coaches. NFL Films' Greg Cosell likens him to Hakeem Nicks. Also, Victor Cruz becomes a restricted free agent next year, and Nicks himself could leave the Big Apple in two years (barring a contract extension).

In the TUFF world: The Fats won their first TUFF Bowl title behind great performances from players like QB Matthew Stafford, WRs Calvin Johnson and Laurent Robinson, and RBs Steven Jackson and Darren Sproles. They begin their first title defense with Randle, and he will certainly fortify their WR depth as he develops behind Johnson, Robinson and Anquan Boldin. They would have loved to have taken a long-term replacement for Jackson, but passed on LaMichael James.

1.15 Indianapolis Hoosier Daddy's — WR Stephen Hill

In the real world: Hill is 6'5" and 210 lb. with great athletic ability (state high school jumping record holder), but that ability and his skills were largely kept under wraps in Georgia Tech's "triple option" offense. The knocks on him were route-running (GT predecessor Demaryius Thomas had that issue, too) and inconsistent hands (NFL Network's Mike Mayock said he "watched all of Hill's film from the season and counted five or six drops with his 28 catches," calling two of them critical). But then came his epic Scouting Combine performance: A 4.36 40, an 11'2” broad jump and a 40” vertical leap. His draft stock jumped after that. Now with the Jets, Hill should be the #2 wideout, with the mercurial Santonio Holmes as the #1. Given the rift between Holmes and Jets QB Mark Sanchez, coupled with the fact that Holmes has already worn out his welcome with another NFL team (the Steelers), there's a chance Hill could be the Jets' #1 wideout by, say, 2014. Just not this year, though: Bill Barnwell (managing editor of Football Outsiders) said in this column on Grantland.com: "As a rule, if a receiver with Hill's physical gifts isn't worth a first-round grade, his skills are years away from actually appearing at the professional level." He added that the 27 wide receivers 6'3” or taller taken in Round 2 of the NFL draft between 1970 and 2011 averaged 18 catches, 262 yards and 2 touchdowns as rookies. The "rule" makes sense to me: I drafted one of those 27 guys, Vincent Jackson (2005) and he didn't break out until his fourth season.  (The same rule also applies to Brian Quick and Reuben Randle, who went earlier in this TUFF Draft.)

In the TUFF world: I thought Indy would go with RB LaMichael James (not only to handcuff to Frank Gore, but also because he's the last of the RBs who went in the first two rounds of the NFL Draft). Hill has gone higher in most MFL 16-team drafts, is a hell of an athlete, and was certainly one of the best available players, and Indy definitely needed to improve their depth at WR, so this is a very good pick. But I would have gone with James, who ended up going with the very next pick.

1.16 Pittsburgh BIG PAPAS — RB LaMichael James

In the real world: James became a household name soon after replacing LeGarrette Blount in 2009 (Blount had been suspended for punching Boise State LB Byron Hout). James considered (but ultimately decided against) turning pro after 2010. He's speedy (4.37 40, one of the fastest RBs at the Combine) and can change directions on a dime. During the Rose Bowl, Brent Musberger suggested that he would make an excellent 3rd-down back in the NFL. Mel Kiper ranked him #2 among this year's RBs, ahead of Doug Martin, David Wilson and Lamar Miller. Todd McShay after the draft: "Head coach Jim Harbaugh will get creative with James, and you can be sure the 49ers would not have taken him if they didn't already have a plan in mind. He'll be a great complement to the north-south runners already on the roster with his wiggle in space and ability to contribute in the passing game. James could also contribute in the running game, and if used properly his versatility could yield more from four or five touches than others get from 14 or 15." Here's what I like about James. You remember earlier how I criticized David Wilson on short-yardage situations? Well, here were James' numbers for first-and-goal, second-and-goal, third-and-short and fourth-and-short carries last year: 175 yards and 12 TDs on 36 carries. You wanna call him a third-down back, Mr. Musberger? I think he'll be more than that.

In the TUFF world: Pittsburgh may already have Darren McFadden, the Colts' running backs and the Packers' running backs, but I figure they took James with the future in mind, because the Colt and Packer running backs are just not reliable enough to start at this point.

2.01 Dallas Junglehawgs — QB Ryan Tannehill

In the real world: Don't call Tannehill "a converted wide receiver." He's an extreme rarity: He played QB in high school, but played his first two seasons at Texas A&M at WR (due to injuries A&M had at the position) before moving back to QB in 2010. He was widely considered the consensus #3 QB on the board (after Luck and Griffin) even after breaking his foot while training for the Senior Bowl. Why? His combination of size, arm strength, mobility and toughness has scouts thinking "upside." But there's a risk as well, and that is inexperience.  He only started 15 games at QB for A&M, so he's not where he needs to be in terms of development. Todd McShay said in March: "I just think he has everything you look for in a future franchise quarterback if you develop him properly and you're willing to be patient."  Another stat that underscores how raw he is: Last season, against four Top 25 teams (Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Arkansas and Texas), he completed 54% of his passes with 6 TD and 10 INT. Even though his completion percentage dropped from 65% in 2010 to 61.6% last year, ESPN's Chris Mortensen says that the main reason was that at least 70 of his passes were dropped by his receivers.

In the TUFF world: This is a great value pick at the top of Round 2, and the Junglehawgs needed it, especially because they had no first-round pick. They had three NFL starting QB's a year ago in Ryan Fitzpatrick, Jason Campbell and Colt McCoy, but Fitzpatrick had a rough second half in 2011 (allegedly due to cracked ribs), Campbell got hurt (and subsequently lost his job to Carson Palmer) and McCoy had a rough second year (he could lose his job as well). Tannehill's got the "tools" to be an NFL QB, but it will take time to see how his job situation unfolds. The Dolphins went 6-3 in their last nine games with Matt Moore under center, and you never know, Moore vs. Tannehill could morph into Warner vs. Leinart, Part Deux. Mike Scott probably realized this possibility and acquired Moore from the Green Bay Ground Hogs not long after selecting Tannehill.

2.02 Tennessee Taz Devils — RB Robert Turbin

In the real world: From Utah State, Turbin gave his draft stock bit of a boost with his performance at the Combine. Huge arms, bench-pressed 225 lb. 28 times (tied for best at the Combine with Doug Martin), sub-4.5 speed—he weighed in at 222 but looks more like he weighs 245 with those guns. He's been hurt a couple times, though—he sat out 2007 with an injured foot (at which time he got a medical redshirt) and missed 2010 because of a torn ACL. But if he stays healthy in the pros, watch out. With the Seahawks, he could be "Backup Beast Mode" as Marshawn Lynch's running style leaves him open to getting dinged-up; Turbin runs in a similar fashion himself.

In the TUFF world: The Taz take another running back, and I like Turbin's blend of size, speed and strength. Wide receivers can be a crapshoot, so I can't really blame Lonnie for passing up higher-rated wideouts like Alshon Jeffery and A.J. Jenkins for Turbin, who was easily the best RB still on the board. Besides, the Taz look to be building a surplus there and could always deal from that surplus for a more proven wideout if they need depth there (although, with A.J. Green, Mike Wallace, Miles Austin, Santonio Holmes and Demaryius Thomas, they may not need help there the way, say, Houston does).

2.03 Carolina Convicts — WR Alshon Jeffery

In the real world: Jeffery burst onto the scene on October 10, 2009 against Kentucky, burning the Wildcats for 138 yards and 3 TDs. The next year, he racked up over 300 yards and 4 TDs against eventual national champion Auburn and 2009 champion Alabama. At that time, Kiper said, "A perpetual mismatch, Jeffery has been unstoppable since he got to campus. A huge target, makes all the catches and shows surprising burst, given such a huge frame at wideout." His disappointing junior campaign (in which he averaged less than 10 yards per reception) hurt his draft stock, but it's not clear as to what caused him to not produce as much: South Carolina's QB situation, or conditioning issues Jeffery may have had (he reportedly played around 230 for the Gamecocks but trimmed down to 216 for the Combine). NFL Films guru Greg Cosell believes he "lacks lateral quicks and agility" and will be a "scheme and quarterback specific receiver." The Bears moved up five spots in Round 2 to get him. With Brandon Marshall as the #1 receiver in Chicago, Jeffery certainly has the size to be a #2, and he'll be competing against are Devin Hester, Johnny Knox and Earl Bennett, all of whom had more than their share of chances to establish themselves as wide receivers. The questions are, first, can he get back to his 2010 form, and second, while he can give you the jump-ball TD (like in the Capital One Bowl, seen here), can he get open? (The 4.47 and 4.54 40's he ran at his Pro Day suggest that it's possible that he can.)

In the TUFF world: The Cons definitely needed to continue rebuilding their wideout corps. They're off to a great start already, having taken Dez Bryant in 2010 and Julio Jones last year, but they didn't have much else besides those two. So in comes Jeffery, and Carolina should be ticked pink that he fell this far. He's a very good value when considering footballguys.com's rookie rankings and average draft positions in other MFL 16-team rookie-only drafts, which is why I give him the green check mark.

2.04 Carolina Convicts — WR Ryan Broyles

In the real world: Mel Kiper on the 5'11", 179 lb. Broyles: "Very good hands, elusive in open field after catch, productive regardless of who's throwing the ball." Todd McShay said last November, "Broyles doesn't have elite size or top-end speed, but he shows an uncanny knack for finding soft spots in zone coverage, is a savvy route-runner versus man-to-man coverage and has very strong hands in traffic." Prolific production at Oklahoma, including 131 catches, 1,622 yards and 14 TDs in 2010. Now with the Lions, long-term, Broyles is likely to replace Nate Burleson. In their wild-card loss to the New Orleans Saints, Calvin Johnson and Titus Young saw a combined 25 targets; Burleson, just 5. Burleson turns 31 in August, and his salary shoots up in 2013, so it's possible the Lions could cut him after 2012 to clear room under the salary cap. Sigmund Bloom of footballguys.com raves about this job situation: "Let's see... quality receiver that a team with a 5,000-yard pass offense liked enough to take in the second round. Broyles is a better wide receiver than Titus Young, who went in the second to Detroit last year more on his big play and return ability. Sign me up."

In the TUFF world: It's a good pick for Carolina once you consider his 2013 job situation, especially if the Lions' offense becomes The New Greatest Show On Turf. And he's been going around this spot in most rookie drafts. But my response to Mr. Bloom is this: "Let's see, coming off a torn ACL, didn't have a lot of speed in the first place, not very big, and even if Burleson is out of the equation, Broyles still has to compete with Johnson, Young, Brandon Pettigrew, Tony Scheffler, and any pass-catching running backs the Lions may have. Go ahead and sign up; I won't stop you and I'll just agree to disagree with Mr. Mayhew."