WEEK 16

New Hampshire junior QB Ricky Santos won the Walter Payton Award, given annually to the best player in Division I-AA football. Santos passed for 2,681 yards and 23 touchdowns this season.....

Underclassmen thinking about entering an upcoming draft are usually the preserve of college football’s major schools and conferences. Every once in a while though a top prospect emerges out of lower level divisions. This year’s top candidate is Newberry OT Heath Benedict, a 6-6, 320-pound Division II All-American. Benedict, who originally signed with Tennessee, is reportedly waiting on the NFL’s College Advisory Committee to evaluate his draft status. Benedict reportedly has said if he is projected as a third round pick or higher, he will enter the draft.....

A quartet of Ohio State juniors including WRs Ted Ginn and Anthony Gonzalez, RB Antonio Pittman and RT Kirk Barton filed paperwork with the NFL on Friday to evaluate their prospects for the 2007 draft. Underclassmen have until January 15th to apply to the NFL for early entry to this year’s draft.....


Cleveland has placed rookie inside linebacker D'Qwell Jackson on injured reserve after the 2006 second round pick from Maryland underwent surgery on his toe. Jackson is suffering from "turf toe," an injury he suffered in last week’s loss against Pittsburgh. Jackson started all 13 games for the Browns and has 93 tackles, fourth among all rookies in the NFL this fall. Meanwhile, the Browns, which would have the 7th pick overall were the 2007 draft held today, has named Derek Anderson as the starting quarterback for Sunday's game in Baltimore. Anderson replaces Charlie Frye who is out with an injury.....

If there is ever going to be a change at the very top of the 2007 draft selection order it may have to be later today as Detroit and Oakland, which would have the first and second picks overall if the draft were today respectively, play the final games on the schedules which could legitimately be described as ‘winnable’. Detroit, for example, will be in Green Bay to take on the 5-8 Packers, while Oakland will be at home to struggling St. Louis which is also 5-8. Detroit will then wrap up its schedule with games against Chicago and Dallas, while the Raiders will finish their season with dates with Kansas City and the Jets, both of which are 7-6 and fighting for a playoff berth. Meanwhile, most of the other teams with high picks this year are in tough today. Tampa Bay, which would pick third if the draft were held today, is at Chicago, Arizona at #4 hosts Denver, Houston at #5 is at New England, #6 Washington is at New Orleans, and #7 Cleveland is at Baltimore. And there will be some extra attention paid to the Arizona-Denver matchup where both teams will be starting rookie QBs. Indeed, the Cardinals’ Matt Leinart and Broncos’ Jay Cutler were selected on successive picks at the 2006 draft.....

League sources tell us that if Parcells does come back, it would happen only if Owens is gone. Could happen. Some executives around the league believe Owens' play has shown signs of slippage - look at all those dropped passes, and look at how he no longer gets great separation from defensive backs - so if it does come down to that, they wouldn't be surprised if Owens is the odd man out.....


Across the league it is well known that Smith and Schottenheimer can’t stand each other. If the Chargers get bounced in the first round of the playoffs, it’s likely that Smith will bounce Marty to the unemployment line.....

Here's an interesting name that could be available in the offseason: Bears running back Cedric Benson. With Thomas Jones playing well, the Bears could be open to trading Benson. Denver wants a big, strong back. Benson fits that mold.