Spring 2007 - No.88 • HERE COMES THE DRAFT! • NFL GOES GLOBAL IN LONDON • LEAGUE TOUGHENS STEROID TESTING • NFL PLAYERS SPEND SPRING IN BUSINESS SCHOOLS • NFL BROADCAST BOOT CAMP COMING UP! 2 NFL REPORT 662943_NFLReport.indd2943_NFLReport.indd 3 33/16/07/16/07 112:54:562:54:56 PPMM THE 2007 NFL DRAFT: ANY PICK CAN BE A GEM IN A DEEP POOL OF PLAYERS Marques Colston…Mark Anderson draft is an opportunity for us to im- …Owen Daniels…Barry Cofi eld…Leon prove the makeup of the team.” Washington. Of course, the attention-grabbers of These 2006 NFL rookies -- all “low- the draft – “which is a phenomenon round” draft choices -- will once again for some that even rivals the Super remind people that the NFL Draft this Bowl itself in importance,” says The year – on April 28-29 at New York City’s New York Times – are the fi rst-round- Radio City Music Hall -- is comprised ers. The debate on who will go No. 1, of a lot more than the fi rst round. Af- who will comprise the top fi ve picks ter all the fl ashbulbs stop popping for and how the entire round will develop the fi rst-rounders, all the hard work by will be waged right up to the time NFL NFL scouts pays off as the “gems” are Commissioner Roger Goodell steps to uncovered in Rounds 2-7. the podium and announces, “With the Perhaps no one proves that more fi rst selection in the 2007 NFL Draft…” than the New Orleans Saints’ Colston, The “big names” on every mock- a seventh-rounder last year from Divi- drafters list this year: quarterbacks sion I-AA Hofstra. In fact, Colston was Brady Quinn (Notre Dame, near left) and chosen three spots from the fi nal pick. JaMarcus Russell (LSU, far left); tackle He ended up leading all NFL rookies in Joe Thomas (Wisconsin); running back receiving yards (1,038) and touchdown Adrian Peterson (Oklahoma); wide catches (eight). receiver Calvin Johnson (Georgia Tech); “In the NFL, you’re in the business and defensive linemen Gaines Adams of fi nding players wherever you can,” (Clemson), Jamaal Anderson (Arkansas) says Saints general manager Mickey and Alan Branch (Michigan). Loomis, who drafted Colston. Those players may well be the stars And those “wherever” players can of the future. But, as every scout will take you a long way. Just look at both tell you, “You just never know.” A week starting defensive backfi elds in Super after Super Bowl XLI, the 2007 Pro Bowl Bowl XLI. Not one of the eight players was played, featuring the top players in was a fi rst-rounder. In total, the Colts the NFL. Sure, there were many fi rst- and Bears had three second-round- rounders wearing the festive All-Star ers, two fourth-rounders, two sixth- uniforms. But so were Donald Driver rounders and a free agent starting as (seventh round), Matt Birk and Adalius the DBs in the NFL title game. Thomas (sixth-rounders), Zach Thomas “I look at the entire draft process as (fi fth round) and Steve Smith (third an opportunity, not just one pick,” says round). New York Jets general manager Mike “The draft is a crazy process,” says Tannenbaum, who drafted Washing- Jets tackle D’Brickashaw Ferguson. “You ton in the fourth round. “The entire never know what’s going to happen.” FIVE 2006 LOW-ROUND DRAFT CHOICES WHO MADE THEIR MARK PLAYER TEAM ROUND 2006 SEASON WR Marques Colston New Orleans 7 Led NFL rookies in receiving yards (1,038) and TD catches (8) LB Mark Anderson Chicago 5 Set club rookie record for sacks (12.0) DT Barry Cofi eld NY Giants 4 Started all 16 games at NT, stuffi ng the run TE Owen Daniels Houston 4 Tied for Texans TD catch lead (5) RB Leon Washington NY Jets 4 Led Jets in rushing (650 yards) Cover photos (l to r): Calvin Johnson, JaMarcus Russell, Adrian Peterson, Brady Quinn. NFL REPORT 2 62943_NFLReport.indd 4 3/16/07 12:55:11 PM NFL NETWORK SHOWS FANS “THE PATH TO THE DRAFT” Football season over? Think again. spective draft choices and breakdowns NFL Network is the place where of each team’s needs. football season never ends. From ex- NFL Network will provide wall-to-wall clusive coverage of the Senior Bowl to live coverage of the NFL Draft on April 28- the Scouting Combine and NFL Draft, 29, featuring two live sets, including one there is no better place on television on the fl oor at draft headquarters at New for all the news and information re- York City’s Radio City Music Hall. lating to how each of the 32 teams are An array of NFL experts including preparing for the 2007 season. former NFL head coach Steve Mari- “If NFL Network’s draft coverage edge of every NFL prospect entering ucci, along with Mayock, Davis, host was a prospect, I’d rank it the top over- this year’s draft.” Rich Eisen and reporter Adam Schefter all selection on my big board,” says Mayock and analyst Charles Davis will be on location in New York. At NFL NFL Network draft guru Mike Mayock are guiding fans along the “Path to the Network’s Los Angeles studio, Paul Bur- (above left). “We’re the only network Draft” on weeknights from March 1-May meister (above right) and Jamie Dukes on the fi eld at all major scouting 2 at 6:30 PM ET. The new series provides will provide additional commentary events, giving us an intimate knowl- viewers with in-depth analysis of pro- and news from around the league. NFL.COM 2007 DRAFT COVERAGE BIGGER THAN EVER If it’s NFL Draft information you Draft in 1995, when the website was com since its inception. “When we are looking for, NFL.com is the place in its infancy. Each year since, NFL. started our NFL Draft coverage we had to fi nd it. NFL.com will host gavel-to- com has stepped up its coverage – with three or four days of exposure,” says gavel 2007 NFL Draft coverage featur- the fans following. Over the three-day Brandt, who was the website’s sole ing interactive and real-time expert weekend (Friday-Sunday) last year, the analyst in 1995. “Now our coverage analysis, video features from NFL Net- website logged a record 7.5 million vis- starts at the Scouting Combine and work, and unique “Draft Diaries” from its – a 25 percent jump over 2005. spans more than two months. The the top prospects. Former Dallas Cowboys personnel fans keep asking for more, and we give NFL.com began covering the NFL chief Gil Brandt has been with NFL. it to them.” MORE FANS WATCH NFL DRAFT EACH YEAR NFL DRAFT: MOST-ANTICIPATED SPRING WEEKEND SPORTING EVENT Year Total Viewers Reached* 2006 36.3 million Event Sports Fans Interested 2005 34.4 million NFL Draft 47.8 percent 2004 31.4 million Indy 500 43.2 percent 2003 29.0 million Kentucky Derby 40.1 percent 2002 25.5 million Preakness Stakes 29.5 percent *Total Viewers Reached on ESPN & ESPN2 Telecasts Source: ESPN Sports Poll Source: NFL & Nielsen Media Research 3 NFL REPORT 662943_NFLReport.indd2943_NFLReport.indd 5 33/16/07/16/07 112:55:172:55:17 PPMM NFL GOES GLOBAL IN ’07: Giants & dolphins Play October REGuLAR-SEASON GAME IN LONdON Call it the (international) National NFL owners voted last October to play ing teams with a total of four Super Bowl Football League! up to two regular-season games outside wins -- will be shown live in the United That description will certainly be apt the United States every year for the next States on FOX-TV at 1:00 PM ET (5:00 PM this year as the NFL will be setting inter- five years, with the series kicking off local time). Both teams will have a bye national precedent by playing its first- with a single game this year. scheduled for the following week. ever regular-season game overseas. “The international popularity of the The Mayor of London, Ken Liv- London, England has been an- NFL grows every year,” says NFL Com- ingstone, said the city is thrilled to nounced as the site of the first NFL missioner Roger Goodell. “We see that be hosting the game. “We are very regular-season game outside of North as more and more people around the pleased about having teams of the cal- America. The Miami Dolphins will face globe watch Super Bowl every year. That iber of the Dolphins and Giants com- the New York Giants on October 28 – in is a fascination we will build upon. Lon- ing to London,” said Livingstone. “We Week 8 of the season -- at one of the don and its international stature only are expecting nearly 10,000 American world’s most famous venues – Wemb- add to the impact of this game.” fans to travel to London to watch the ley Stadium. The Giants-Dolphins matchup – featur- game as well as people from Europe.” NFL REPORT 4 NEW-LOOK NFL EUROPA KICKS OFF ITS 15TH SEASON New name…new logo…hot rivalry. of the Year winner during a three-year The renamed NFL Europa League, tenure with Berlin (2004-06), assumes with a bright new logo, will kick off control of the Rhein Fire, while John Al- its 15th season on April 14 with a re- len, who served as Amsterdam’s of- match of last season’s World Bowl fensive coordinator from 2004-06, XIV when the defending-cham- has been named head coach of pion Frankfurt Galaxy host the Berlin.