Check out the calendar.
It&39;s April 11 – already? – and that means the NFL Draft and all of the accompanying frenzy, over-analysis and long, long drawn-out coverage is a mere 17 days away.
That also means we're probably overdue for another jaguars.com value board.
We did the first version of this a month or so ago, and as we did then, we&39;ll preface this one by saying it ain&39;t perfect, and it&39;s not close. The hope is that it reflects some of the changes and news of the last few weeks, but mostly the hope is that it prepares us a little more for the draft.
One thing that remains true is it's real hard to know where to put quarterbacks in this draft. Andrew Luck of Stanford staying in school deprived the draft of a bonafide pre-draft franchise quarterback, and when the analysts say it's the strangest year for the position, they're right. The top guys, Blaine Gabbert and Cam Newton, could go anywhere from No. 1 to deep in the first round, and depending on who you talk to, they may not even be the top guys.
At that position, it's wait and see, and it remains true that at the top of the draft, there's a non-traditional feel, too.
Cornerback Patrick Peterson of Louisiana State remains at the top of the jaguars.com value board, and a lot of people will tell you Von Miller of Texas A&M is as good for his position as any player available. But it's just hard to see either position No. 1 overall.
Alabama defensive tackle Marcell Dareus is a guy you see at the top of many value boards, but he and everyone else at the traditional No. 1 positions still have more questions than usual.
Maybe this thing will shake out more in the next few weeks, but you get the feeling that it's going to be a strange, hard-to-predict draft – and not just for quarterbacks.
Enough of that. Let's take a look at the value board.
1.Patrick Peterson, CB, LSU | 1 | Skipped Pro Day, but great combine will keep him high on boards
2.Marcell Dareus, DT, Alabama | 3 | Solidified status with impressive Pro Day
3.Von Miller, OLB, Texas A&M | 5 | Backed up impressive combine with Pro Day performance
4.Nick Fairley, DT, Auburn | 6 | Stock rising or falling depending on who you listen to
5.A.J. Green, WR, Georgia | 4 | Surreal talent and big-time collegiate production
6.Robert Quinn, DE, North Carolina | 7 | Like Bowers, some see his stock slipping – not on this board
7.Julio Jones, WR, Alabama | 10 | Pushing Green for top wide receiver spot in class
8.Prince Amukamara, CB, Nebraska | 8 | Strong defensive line class could push him down the board
9. Da&39;Quan Bowers, DE, Clemson | 2 | Stock has slipped a bit in the eyes of some since combine
10.Blaine Gabbert, QB, Missouri | 9 | There was talk of Gabbert at No. 1. That talk has cooled
11.Cam Newton, QB, Auburn | 14 | Still no consensus on 2010 Heisman Trophy winner
12.Cameron Jordan, DE, California | 11 | The closer the draft gets, the more you hear him in Top 10
13.Tyron Smith, OT, Southern California | 12 | Solid Pro Day could move him into Top 10
14.J.J. Watt, DE, Wisconsin | 16 | Has improved stock in recent weeks
15.Anthony Castonzo, OT, Boston College | 19 | Solid prospect, if not considered spectacular
16.Ryan Kerrigan, DE, Purdue | 17 | Listed by many as Jaguars selection at No. 16
17.Aldon Smith, DE, Missouri | 13 | Drop on this board doesn&39;t mean he&39;s slipping out of the Top 20
18.Adrian Clayborn, DE, Iowa | 20 | Has held steady around this spot since combine
19.Gabe Carimi, OT, Wisconsin | 22 | Had an impressive Pro Day
20.Corey Liuget, DT, Illinois | 23 | Has emerged as a first-round lock
21.Mike Pouncey, G, Florida | 28 | Talent could offset playing a position that rarely goes in Top 20
22.Mark Ingram, RB, Alabama | 15 | Impressive Pro Day, but more and more teams devalue position
23.Cameron Heyward, DE, Ohio State | 25 | Holding steady in bottom third of first round
24.Jake Locker, QB, Washington | 27 | Like a lot of quarterbacks, opinions vary widely
25.Nate Solder, OT, Colorado | 18 | Part of a deep, evenly-balanced offensive tackle class
26.Jimmy Smith, CB, Colorado | 24 | Fairly solid as No. 3 corner behind Peterson and Amukamara
27.Derek Sherrod, OT, Mississippi State | 28 | Offensive tackle could be active position late in first
28.Akeem Ayers, OLB, UCLA | 29 | Widely projected as a late first or early-second rounder
29.Christian Ponder, QB, Florida State | – | Could be higher by draft day
30.Phil Taylor, NT, Baylor | 32 | Run on defensive tackles could get him in first round
31.Brandon Harris, CB, Miami (Fla.) | 21 | Could be bumped from first round by draft day
32.Muhammad Wilkerson, DT, Temple | 26 | Some avoid DTs late in Round 1; trend could end this year
