Cleveland Browns GM Kokinis won't tip his hand on college draft or trade rumors

Ramses Barden: NFL Draft Sleeper

Ramses Barden | WR

Height: 6'6" Weight: 229 lbs

College: CAL POLY 2008 Stats: Rec: 67, Yards: 1,257, TD: 18

Overall Football Traits
Production	2	2004: Cal Poly red shirts Barden. 2005-'08: Barden starts 46 consecutive games. He catches a total of 206 passes for a total of 4,203 yards and 78 touchdowns. His numbers are impressive but lower level of competition is factored into production grade.
Height-Weight-Speed	2	Prototypical height and bulk but marginal top-end speed.
Durability	1	Four-year starter that didn't miss any games with injuries.
Character	1	Shows great worth ethic both on and off the field.

Wide Receiver specific Traits
Separation Skills	4	Size is built-in separation. Uses wide frame to shield defenders from the ball and wins a lot of jump balls. Takes too long to get in and out of breaks. Had problems separating from man coverage at the Senior Bowl and going to have an even harder time separating from man coverage in the NFL.  Likely to have problems getting a clean release working against press coverage.
Ball Skills	2	Big hands (10.5') and long arms (33.6').  Good body control and can adjust to poorly thrown ball.  Plucks the ball out of the air and away from his frame.  Can catch balls thrown over his head.  Occasional lapses in focus result in atypical drops.
Vertical Speed	3	Doesn't show a second gear when tracking the ball downfield and can't stretch the field when gets slowed down at the line of scrimmage.  However, steadily builds speed and tracks the ball well so more of a vertical threat the timed speed suggests.
Run After Catch	4	Catches the ball in stride, smooth turning upfield and tough to bring down in the open field. Can ruin defenders' pursuit angles with long strides but not elusive enough to make defenders miss and lacks breakaway speed.
Competitiveness and Toughness	2	Not afraid to go over the middle, throws weight around and fights for the ball when isn't able to separate from coverage.  Adequate stalk blocker.  Could work harder to sustain blocks but he does a better-than-adequate job of getting into position and shielding defenders off.

Trait Scale
1 = Exceptional	2 = Above average	3 = Average	4 = Below average	5 = Marginal

You heard it here first; Ramses Barden has the chance to be a top 5 WR in this draft and could become at least a legit number 2 WR on an NFL Team.  The Giants need to take him in the 3rd Round of the NFL Draft.  You can't teach 6'6".  We lost Plaxico Burress and now we have the chance to replace him with a guy who has an extremely high ceiling who is also taller than Burress.

Giants Training Camp Hotel Information

Best Western Sovereign Hotel
1228 Western Avenue
Albany, NY 12203
518-489-2981 - phone

Room Block Code - BBI
Room Block Dates - Friday, July 31 - Friday, August 28, 2009
BBI activity dates - Wednesday, August 5 through Monday, August 10, 2009

Room Rate - $90.00 single/double p/n, children under 17 free when sharing with an adult, full breakfast is included. parking is free. fields are literally across the street.

please contact the hotel directly to make your reservations. save your confirmation numbers so we can confirm meeting our block with them. 

The ATar Memorial Pizza and Pasta and Tapes night will be either Friday, August 7 or Saturday, August 8. ($20 p/p)

The Bob in Annapolis Memorial Golf Outting will be decided once the camp schedule is released. (course green fees)

The RAZE All The Meat You Can Eat Lunch at Smokey Bones...TBD

Longer season would present problems

Schein: More Games on Tap? - video powered by Metacafe

It seems to me that the only good reason for the NFL to extend the NFL Season is money driven.  1 BILLION dollars each year from Direct TV isn't enough???  How many more injuries does each NFL team have to endure with an extra two weeks of games during the regular season.  The starters don't play half of the preseason games already and we have seen many major stars each year go down with major injuries.  This will just increase the number of injuries to star players.  Don't mess with a good thing!  It's just that simple.  

Five burning draft questions in The Beast that is the NFC EAST

Draft Minute: Michael Crabtree

Kenny Britt Anticipates The NFL Draft 4/16/9

Edwards to the Giants Rumors Continue:

Where might Anquan Boldin be playing his trade next?

New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning endorses Browns wide receiver Braylon Edwards

Giants Training Camp Update 4/16/09

First practice Aug. 3

Giants players will report to the University at Albany training camp on Saturday, Aug. 2, with the first practices scheduled for the next day. The reporting date is late because the team does not play its first preseason game until Monday, Aug. 11.

Rutgers WR Kenny Britt visited Giants Stadium and remains a candidate for the No. 29 or No. 45 draft pick.

Boldin too pricey for Giants, but Braylon may not be

Of course there have been rumors surrounding the Giants and Braylon Edwards for weeks now, but Jerry Reese wouldn't comment on them, saying only: "I’m not talking about Braylon. That’s somebody else’s player, he’s under contract, and there’s nothing to talk about that. A lot of chatter, a lot of false reports."

There have also been some rumors and reports that the Giants could be interested in Anquan Boldin, whom the Cardinals publicly put on the trading block yesterday. The Cardinals, who still hope to re-sign Boldin, are apparently seeking a package that includes a first, third and firth-round draft choice. Reese made it sound as if that was too steep a price to pay.

“For the right player, you do whatever you can to make it happen,” he said. “We’ll do what’s best for the Giants and I don’t know if that’s the best thing for us to do, to package up a deal that valuable. We like our draft picks, we like developing players, and we won’t … force anything.”

But, Reese, said, it doesn’t mean the Giants won’t spend that much for someone else.

“Maybe not for anybody available,” he said, “but there’s a couple guys that might be worth that price.”

Cards Will Listen To Offers For Boldin

New York Giants 2009 Schedule

New York Giants 2009 Schedule Wk Date Matchup TV Time 1 Sun, Sept. 13 vs. Washington Redskins FOX 4:15 p.m. 2 Sun, Sept. 20 at Dallas Cowboys NBC 8:20 p.m. 3 Sun, Sept. 27 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers FOX 1 p.m. 4 Sun, Oct. 4 at Kansas City Chiefs FOX 1 p.m. 5 Sun, Oct. 11 vs. Oakland Raiders CBS 1 p.m. 6 Sun, Oct. 18 at New Orleans Saints FOX 1 p.m. 7 Sun, Oct. 25 vs. Arizona Cardinals NBC 8:20 p.m. 8 Sun, Nov. 1 at Philadelphia Eagles FOX 4:15 p.m. 9 Sun, Nov. 8 vs. San Diego Chargers CBS 4:15 p.m. 10 Bye 11 Sun, Nov. 22 vs. Atlanta Falcons FOX 1 p.m. 12 Thu, Nov. 26 at Denver Broncos NFLN 8:20 p.m. 13 Sun, Dec. 6 vs. Dallas Cowboys FOX 4:15 p.m. 14 Sun, Dec. 13 vs. Philadelphia Eagles NBC 8:20 p.m. 15 Mon, Dec. 21 at Washington Redskins ESPN 8:30 p.m. 16 Sun, Dec. 27 vs. Carolina Panthers FOX 1 p.m. 17 Sun, Jan. 3 at Minnesota Vikings FOX 1 p.m.

Giants Kiwanuka: Sky's the limit

Eli Manning Reacts to Braylon Edwards Trade Talks

Todd McShay's Lates Mock Draft 4/15/09

29. New York Giants (12-4): Hakeem Nicks, WR, North Carolina

Top three needs: WR, strongside LB, OT

There's a lot of speculation about Braylon Edwards being traded to the Giants, which would cost New York this pick. But there hasn't been a deal yet, and if the Giants hold on to this pick and don't bring in a veteran, Nicks is a no-brainer. He's big, has exceptional hand-eye coordination and is ready to contribute for Eli Manning right now.

Reese: Price too high ... at least for Boldin

In effort to replace Plaxico, Giants revive trade talks for Braylon Edwards

Rutgers' Britt to visit Giants

Kenny Britt, a big an intriguing receiver out of Rutgers, is scheduled to pay a visit to the Giants tomorrow.

Britt, who checks in at 6-4, 215, finished his three-year career with the Scarlet Knights as the Big East’s all-time leading receiver (178 catches, 3,043 yards, 17 touchdowns). The Bayonne, N.J., native was dominant as a junior last season, catching 87 passes for a Rutgers record 1,371 yards.

The 20-year-old Britt will have a private meeting and workout for Giants officials at the Meadowlands, a Rutgers source told the Daily News’ Ebenezer Samuel. I had previously heard the Giants view the big, physical receiver as more of a second-round possibility than someone they’d consider with the 29th overall pick of the first round. But that could certainly change, depending on how many receivers are taken in the first 28 picks.

Britt is considered by most scouts and draft experts to be in the second tier of draft-eligible receivers behind Michael Crabtree (Texas Tech) and Jeremy Maclin (Missouri). Where exactly he fits in with Darrius Heyward-Bey (Maryland), Hakeem Nicks (North Carolina) and Percy Harvin (Florida) is debatable. I’ve seen Britt projected to go everywhere from the middle of the first round to the top of the third.

Giants might be able to grab wide out Anquan Boldin from Cardinals