CM's NFL Draft Top 100: 1-10

That's right, it's holy grail time, folks. These cats are expected to be cornerstones of a franchise, as we check out the top 10 players on CM's big board:

1. Calvin Johnson - 6-4 - 230 - WR - GTech - Level; Big man with sprinter's speed (4.3 40) and great character; Not only did he start day one, he was the focus on day one; The total package with only one "weakness": Small hands (9 3/4 inches across); Somehow, some team will just have to live wit dat, I guess
2. Gaines Adams - 6-5 - 265 - DE - Clemson - Level; Would've been a top 10 pick last year, so with 16 sacks this year he's the best defender on the board; Reminds many of Chris Doleman, and that's pretty damn good
3. JaMarcus Russell - 6-6 - 252 - QB - LSU - Rising; Obviously better than that dumbass Ryan Perriloux thought, Russell is one of CM's I told you so joints; Great release, arm strength and size, augmented by good mobility; There is big debate on how good he was in big games, as some watched the Sugar Bowl vs. Notre Dame and used that as the barometer, while others point to the fact that he threw more INTs than TDs against .500 or better teams; I think he's a lil' green, but his upside is resickulous
4. Adrian Peterson - 6-2 - 218 - RB - OU - Level; If you draft based on how he looks in his uniform, AD would go 1st overall in ANY draft (I used to look like that 10 yrs ago....kinda, ok, a tinge); This dude has breakaway speed, great power, excellent hands and superb balance; My only concern is the injury factor, as he has missed time more than once and his long stride can lead to more injuries (see Robert Smith, a great player when healthy); If he stays healthy, he is a lock for 1500 yards rushing a season and about 400 more receiving
5. Brady Quinn - 6-4 - 231 - QB - Notre Dame - Level; BQuinn has got everything you look for in a QB: Size, arm strength, poise, smarts and pedigree, so why isn't he rated higher ? The essence of the NFL Draft is potential, people, that's why. Some feel he is as good as he'll ever be, whereas the others ahead of him are thought to still be on the rise as players. I personally believe Detroit would be stupid to pass on Quinn at 2, but they haven't had a good QB since Bobby Layne (50 yrs ago) and they haven't been contenders either so they probably will pass on him and then we'll see how dumb Cleveland is
6. Joe Thomas - 6-8 - 306 - LT - Wisc. - Level; Great size and ability, as ol' JT just needs to get stronger; Tore his ACL or he would've been a top 5 pick in last year's draft, this former DE has great feet and long arms to go with a frame that could hold about 25 more lbs if needed
7. Amobi Okoye - 6-1 - 312 - DT - Louisville - Rising; 19 year old kid with great leadership skills and a high motor; I love his smarts (will graduate before playing in the NFL) and quickness ( 7.2 in the cone drill, 4.02 in the shuttle), he could end up having a 16 year career or flame out very quickly as his body is still maturing; Solid citizen with a bright future in whatever field he ends up in
8. LaRon Landry - 6-2 - 204 - FS - LSU - Rising; You have to be a stud if you are a safety in the top 10, and LaRon is a badass; Great blitzer, heavy hitter with very good speed; Has great instincts and knowledge of how to get guys lined up in the right place; An uncanny knack for big plays, this dude can really bring it
9. Pat Willis - 6-2 - 230 - MLB - Mississippi - Level; Another one of CM's I told you so picks as he is shooting up most people's boards right now, whereas I always had him in the top 10; The ultimate tackling machine, this cat plays hurt and plays well, regardless of the situation or the personnel around him; Over 300 career tackles at Ole Miss, PWillis is a guy you build defenses around; He can absolutely hold up in the middle, but moving him outside might not be a bad idea as he can really pursue
10. Alan Branch - 6-6 - 311 - DT - Mich. - Falling; Giant man with very good mobility for his size; There are motor questions (but most big men in any sport have motor questions) and production questions (which baffles me when it comes to 1 tech or nose tackle types as they don't make a ton of tackles because of constant double teams); This guy is a real polarizing player in that some believe he will be dominant and others see him as a bust in waiting; He played on a great defense so I think it will take him some time, but he definitely has the goods

There it is people, the 100 best according to CM's big board of NFL Draft fun. This is not where I think these guys will land, because some teams have specific needs, and others are just plain stupid, and don't know what they need.

Tomorrow: CM's 2007 1st round mock draft