Quarterbacks

1. Rashard Mendenhall | Illinois

Height: 5-11, Weight: 225 | Date of Birth: 6/19/1987

4/24/08: Mendenhall is a stud in-the-making and is almost a lock to go inside the top 15 overall later this April in the 2008 NFL Draft. As a starting running back in the NFL, the sky is the limit for this kid. He reminds us a lot of LaDainian Tomlinson, with a touch of Willis McGahee (pre-injury). He slices through defenses with his speed and quickness, but he is big enough to grind it out carry after carry. Mendy was our number two ranked rookie runner for much of the off-season, but we just moved him up to our number one. In the right situation, he could be the next top fiver overall fantasy talent.

Forty Time: 4.37

Video Footage: Clip 1 | Clip 2 | Clip 3

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2. Darren McFadden | Arkansas

Height: 6-2, Weight: 210 | Date of Birth: 8/27/1987

4/18/08: After watching Reggie Bush fall back down to earth in 2007, many fantasy owners are skeptical about McFadden’s ability to translate his talents onto the NFL scene. What do we usually say to something like that? Well, first off, Bush isn’t done yet. The Saints runner will bounce-back, especially in PPR leagues and he should have great draft value in almost all leagues and formats in 2008. As for McFadden, who plays so similar to Bush, should actually be a better running back between the tackles, and in the right situation, he could be a top 5 fantasy running back of the future.

Forty Time: 4.27

Video Footage: Clip 1 | Clip 2 | Clip 3

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3. Jonathan Stewart | Oregon

Height: 5-11, Weight: 235 | Date of Birth: 3/2/1987

4/11/08: We like Jonathan Stewart a lot. At 5-11, 235 pounds, Stewart has an ideal frame for the NFL. He doesn’t have that second-gear, like McFadden, Mendenhall or Jones, but his between the tackles measurables just about make up for that. If drafted to be an NFL team’s lone starter, Stewart could end up being the number one fantasy running back from this pool of talented rookie rushers. Stewart, who just underwent toe surgery, is expected to be ready for camp, so a handful of teams are likely to look past his needed recovery time.

Forty Time: 4.44

Video Footage: Clip 1 | Clip 2 | Clip 3

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4. Felix Jones | Arkansas

Height: 6-0, Weight: 207 | Date of Birth: 5/8/1987

4/11/08: Because of Jonathan Stewart’s toe injury, some NFL teams may consider Jones the third best rusher in this deep 2008 running back class. Well, we don’t, but that doesn’t mean that we don’t like the speedster. In the right environment, Jones could really make an impact at the NFL level, but it may be a year before he starts getting full-time carries, as he is the type of runner that will look attractive to teams like Arizona and Dallas (teams that already have starting runners in place).

Forty Time: 4.47

Video Footage: Clip 1 | Clip 2 | Clip 3

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5. Kevin Smith | Central Florida

Height: 6-1, Weight: 211 | Date of Birth: 12/17/1986

4-11-08: The Central Florida product rushed for 2,567 yards in 2007, which is just 61 yards short of Barry Sanders’ single-season rushing record (2,628). He also scored 30 total touchdowns in 2007. Thirty! Even though Smith is a bit raw, he has a grip of talent and could shine in the NFL if drafted to start. At the moment, it’s tough to say that an NFL team is going to invest in Smith as a starter, but if a team does, watch out.

Forty Time: 4.43

Video Footage: Clip 1 (41 carries) | Clip 2

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6. Matt Forte | Tulane

Height: 6-1, Weight: 224 | Date of Birth: 12/10/1985

4|11|08 - We like Forte here at Fantasy Football Xtreme, but his success in the NFL will have everything to do with where he lands. In the right spot, this kid could be the 2nd- or 3rd-best fantasy running back of this entire 2008 class. Forte could go as high as the second-round come April, or he could fall well into the third- or fourth-round.

Forty Time: 4.46

Video Footage: Clip 1 | Clip 2

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7. Chris Johnson | East Carolina

Height: 5-11, Weight: 195 | Date of Birth: 9/23/1985

4/11/08: This past February at the Combine, Johnson ran a 4.24 forty. That is insane speed! He is only 195 pounds, so there is a good chance that the East Carolina product isn’t drafted to carry a full load at the running back position, at least not right away. You can absolutely bet, though, that teams will consider grabbing this kid early due to his special teams upside. He could possibly be one of the league’s best returners right out of the gate in 2008. For fantasy football’s sake, hopefully he goes to a team that has a shaky running back situation, like Houston or Cincinnati.

Forty Time: 4.24

Video Footage: Clip 1 | Clip 2 | Clip 3

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8. Ray Rice | Rutgers

Height: 5-9, Weight: 195 | Date of Birth: 1/22/1987

4/11/08: There are a lot of talented runners in this 2008 NFL Draft, and while Rice is certainly one of them, he may not be big enough to succeed as an every-down back in the NFL. On rare occasions, a smaller guy like Maurice Jones-Drew comes along and beats the odds, but our guess is that Rice will be drafted this month as a change-of-pace back. If injury strikes the roster that he lands on, he certainly could work his way into a starting role — he has the talent — we just don’t think that he will be drafted to start.

Forty Time: 4.44

Video Footage: Clip 1 | Clip 2

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9. Mike Hart | Michigan

Height: 5-9, Weight: 196 | Date of Birth: 4/9/1986

Fantasy: Hart is not a big guy, but if anyone can overcome a 5-9, 196-pound frame, it’s Hart. Again, as we said above, there are rare exceptions to size. Because of his size, though, team’s may not bring him in as a clear starter, but if in the right situation, he could prove doubters wrong just like he has managed to do his entire high school and college career. Don’t count him out, and don’t let him fall too far in your fantasy rookie drafts — When fantasy owners are taking stabs at mediocre WRs and QBs, grab Hart and stash him away.

Forty Time: 4.67

Video Footage: Clip 1 | Clip 2 | Clip 3

1. Matt Ryan | Boston College

Height: 6-5, Weight: 218 | Date of Birth: 5/17/1985

4/18/08: As the 2008 NFL Draft approaches, the Atlanta Falcons are starting to look like a possible landing spot for Ryan. Now it’s tough to predict how good Ryan can be at the NFL level, but in the right environment, and if paired with an elite-like WR, Ryan could mature fast and become a very good NFL quarterback.

Forty Time: 4.88

Video Footage: Clip 1 | Clip 2 | Clip 3

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2. Joe Flacco | Delaware

Height: 6-6, Weight: 230 | Date of Birth: 1/16/1985

4/12/08: This guy is a monster. He stands 6-6 and he weighs a huge 230 pounds. He has a cannon for an arm and his passes are on the money — He is extremely accurate and deceptively mobile at his size. Flacco is going to be an exciting quarterback if he can find the perfect home in the NFL. We’d like to see a team like Atlanta address the QB position in the 2nd- or 3rd-round and take a gamble on this kid — He could very well be the next Ben Roethlisberger, which is why he is the #2 quarterback on our 2008 NFL Draft Board.

Forty Time: 4.78

Video Footage: Clip 1 | Clip 2 | Clip 3

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3. Brian Brohm | Louisville

Height: 6-4, Weight: 228 | Date of Birth: 9/23/1985

4/12/08: As far as talent goes, the Louisville quarterback is easily the second-best signal-caller in this draft class. The problem with Brohm isn’t with his talent, it’s with his durability. Brohm suffered a torn ACL in 2005, suffered torn ligaments in his thumb in 2006 and just underwent surgery to repair his non-throwing shoulder. He isn’t a very mobile quarterback, but he is a smart passer and has good size at 6-4. Because of his injury history, we have Joe Flacco ranked ahead of Brohm.

Forty Time: 4.75

Video Footage: Clip 1 | Clip 2

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4. Colt Brennan | Hawaii

Height: 6-3, Weight: 201 | Date of Birth: 8/16/1983

4/18/08: This kid has a grip of talent, but he could fall in this year’s 2008 NFL Draft. Brennan’s weaknesses are his unorthodox throwing style and the fact that he is coming from a run-and-shoot offense that mostly had him taking shotgun snaps. He is 6-3, but he only weighs 201 pounds, so he also needs to put on some weight. He is also recovering from hip surgery, but is expected to be 100% by July. Now for the good stuff… He averaged 43.6 passing touchdowns per season in college, tossing 58 scores in 2006 alone. He doesn’t just toss touchdown passes, Brennan ran in eight of them last year. While we’re on his 2007 figures, it’s also important to point out that he had at least four total touchdowns in eight of his 11 contests. Brennan has a bit of that Brett Favre style of play in him, and he is certainly a skilled passer. It’s tough to say how good he can be at the NFL level given we don’t know where he will go in this year’s 2008 NFL Draft, but we do know that if he lands in the right spot, the sky is the limit.

Forty Time: —
(projected time: 4.84)

Video Footage: Clip 1 | Clip 2 | Clip 3

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5. Andre Woodson | Kentucky

Height: 6-5, Weight: 230 | Date of Birth: 4/25/1984

4/12/08: Saying that Woodson improved from 2005 to 2006 is an understatement. After a disappointing first year as the Kentucky starting quarterback, Woodson bounced-back in a major way and put together two back-to-back stellar seasons for the Wildcats. Woodson has good size, is an efficient scrambler and has that drive to improve. The feeling we get with Woodson is that he could become a good pro in time, but it wouldn’t happen right away. The team that drafts him may follow the Vince Young developmental blueprint.

Forty Time: —
(projected time: 4.72)

Video Footage: Clip 1 | Clip 2 | Clip 3

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6. Chad Henne | Michigan

Height: 6-2, Weight: 226 | Date of Birth: 7/2/1985

4/12/08: The Michigan product has a strong arm, good size and can make just about any throw. That said, Henne is a bit streaky and has been known to struggle under pressure. He may find it tough to land in a great situation, but the talent is there.

Forty Time: 4.90

Video Footage: Clip 1

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