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Dirk Nowitzki Over/Under 26 Points – It’s no real surprise that the ball is running through the hands of Dirk when the Mavericks have possession. In the Western Conference Finals, he had three games with more than 26 points, one with less than that, and one with exactly 26 points. Nowitzki has really been incredibly dominating at times, especially down the stretch in close games. There is no way that Head Coach Rick Carlisle is going to take the ball out of his hands as long as the game stays competitive, and as long as you’re a believer that this one will be interesting down to the wire, there is no way that you can do anything but go with Nowitzki Over 26 Points -115 @ 5Dimes Sportsbook

Tyson Chandler Over/Under 16.5 Points + Rebounds – Chandler had a heck of a tough battle in the second round of the playoffs against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Even still, he had at least 13 rebounds in two of the five games, and he had no fewer than eight in the series. Offensively, thing were tough with Kendrick Perkins and Nazr Mohammed on his backside, and his point production was slashed. Sure, we know that Chandler isn’t one of the top options on the floor, but he does have a lot easier time going into the paint against Joel Anthony and some of the other Miami bigs than he did in the last series. He had at least 18 points and rebounds combined in three of the final four games against the Thunder, and there is no way that we can see him not going past this number. Our NBA prop picks on this one are calling for Chandler Over 16.5 Points + Rebounds -115 @ 5Dimes Sportsbook

Shawn Marion +7.5 Points vs. Chris Bosh – This is quite the interesting prop, because we know that Bosh has had a ton of consistent games over the course of these playoffs, whereas Marion has really been hit or miss. But let’s dig just a tad further. We have seen Marion get to at least seven points in the last six games in the postseason, and we know that he averaged over a dozen points per game in the regular season. Bosh has had at least 20 points in four out of five games, and at home in these playoffs, he has really been absolutely remarkable. The difference here though, is that he is going to have his hands full with the likes of Chandler and Nowitzki in the paint. We do tend to believe that Bosh will outscore Marion, but if the vet starts to catch fire from the outside, Bosh stands no chance on this NBA prop pick. Go with Marion +7.5 Points vs. Bosh -125 @ 5Dimes Sportsbook

The stars will certainly be shining in the NBA Finals this year, but only one can be named NBA Finals MVP when push comes to shove. Check out our NBA Finals picks for MVP for this year’s finals starting on Tuesday!

It should really come as no surprise that the favorite to beat the NBA Finals MVP odds is LeBron James (Current NBA Finals Odds: 1 to 1 at Bodog Sportsbook). This is definitely a series that is fit for a King, but it definitely isn’t the first time that he has had this opportunity. James knew that he was the favorite to win on the NBA Finals MVP lines a few seasons ago with the Cleveland Cavaliers, but his team was swept by the San Antonio Spurs. James hasn’t put up the same type of numbers that he did that year in these playoffs, but there is no doubt that he has been absolutely remarkable. James has averaged just under 44 minutes per game in the postseason, and he has averaged 26.0 points, 8.9 boards, and 5.5 assists per game. He’s got a great chance to win this honorable award, but obviously, he is going to need his first NBA Championship to be able to do that.

Of course, James also has to overcome a man that has already won this award once before. In fact, Dwyane Wade (NBA Finals MVP Lines: 7 to 2 at Bodog Sportsbook) is the only player on either side in this game that has ever won the NBA Finals MVP award in his career. He did so against these Mavs in a series in which he was absolutely remarkable in five years ago. Wade isn’t asked to do quite as much as he has over the past few years since Shaquille O’Neal has aged and left town, but he definitely has the best supporting cast that he has had at least since that point, if not ever before. The man they call “Flash” has averaged 23.7 points and 7.2 rebounds per game.

List Of Past NBA Finals MVPs (Since 2000)
2010 NBA Finals MVP: Kobe Bryant (Los Angeles Lakers)
2009 NBA Finals MVP: Kobe Bryant (Los Angeles Lakers)
2008 NBA Finals MVP: Paul Pierce (Boston Celtics)
2007 NBA Finals MVP: Tony Parker (San Antonio Spurs)
2006 NBA Finals MVP: Dwyane Wade (Miami Heat)
2005 NBA Finals MVP: Tim Duncan (San Antonio Spurs)
2004 NBA Finals MVP: Chauncey Billups (Detroit Pistons)
2003 NBA Finals MVP: Tim Duncan (San Antonio Spurs)
2002 NBA Finals MVP: Shaquille O’Neal (Los Angeles Lakers)
2001 NBA Finals MVP: Shaquille O’Neal (Los Angeles Lakers)
2000 NBA Finals MVP: Shaquille O’Neal (Los Angeles Lakers)

Of course, if you’re looking at players on the Dallas Mavericks, the conversation has to start and essentially end with Dirk Nowitzki (Odds to Win NBA Finals MVP: 2 to 1 at Bodog Sportsbook). Nowitzki has really had the best season of his career both in the regular season and in the playoffs. Sure, we’ve seen Dirk put up better statistics than this in his life, but 28.4 points per game in a season in which he averaged 23.0 points per game. Nowitzki has really done a tremendous job in the postseason, taking games over single handedly at times against some of the best and brightest that this league has to offer.

The only other man that we can see getting the job done for the Mavs is Jason Terry (Current NBA Finals MVP Odds: 12 to 1 at Bodog Sportsbook), and even that would be a huge surprise if he were the one to end up winning the award. For a man to win this award off of the bench would be truly remarkable, but Terry plays the role of a starter even though he’s not on the court when the tipoff happens. Terry averaged the third most minutes in the playoffs for any Maverick at over 32 minutes per game, and he has the ability to catch fire in a ridiculous way from beyond the arc. “The Jet” shot 47.1 percent from the floor and 46.3 percent from downtown on the campaign, and he averaged 17.3 points per game. In the playoffs, this is the man that can really make a difference in a hurry for Dallas, and if it wins this series, there is no doubt that he is going to be the man that has to play above and beyond all expectations.

NBA Finals MVP Odds @ Bodog Sportsbook (as of 5/29/11):
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LeBron James 1.30 to 1
Dirk Nowitzki 1.60 to 1
Dwyane Wade 4.50 to 1
Chris Bosh 13 to 1
Jason Terry 17 to 1
Shawn Marion 28 to 1
Tyson Chandler 30 to 1

2011 NBA Finals MVP Odds @ Oddsmaker Sportsbook (as of 5/29/11):
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LeBron James 1.10 to 1
Dirk Nowitzki 1.30 to 1
Dwyane Wade 4 to 1
Field (Any Other Player) 8 to 1

2011 Champions League Final Odds, Picks & Info
2011 Champion League Final Date: Saturday, May 28th, 2011
2011 Champions League Kick Off Time: 2:45 ET
2011 Champions League Location: Wembley Stadium, England
2011 Champions League Final Favorite: Barcelona (-200)
2011 Champions League Final Underdog: Manchester United (+175)
2011 Champions League TV Coverage – Network: Fox, ESPN3.com

And it all comes down to this… Soccer betting fans have been waiting all season long to see two of the best international sides in the entire world come together for the Champions League Final picks, and on Saturday, May 28th, we’ll finally see exactly what we were looking for. The champions of the English Premier League, Manchester United, will take on the champions from the Spanish La Liga, Barcelona in a battle of two of the biggest titans in the soccer world.

Manchester United should have the advantage from the standpoint of having the home crowd on its side, as this all or nothing fixture will be played at Wembley Stadium, not all that far away from its home at Old Trafford. The Red Devils have been absolutely thrilling in this entire season, from their triumph in the EPL all the way through the Champions League.

United made it through a relatively easy first group which featured Rangers, Valencia, and Bursaspor, accounting for all but four possible points in the competition, allowing just one goal. From there, it was a challenge against Olympique Marseille before winning 2-1 on aggregate. The quarterfinals featured a 3-1 aggregate victory over English rivals, Chelsea, and the semifinals were no problem whatsoever against the struggling German side, Schalke 04. The Red Devils won 6-1 on aggregate to reach the finale.

The defense for the Red Devils has been tough all season long. In the EPL, they had one of the top units in the league, but in the EPL, there really has been no comparison. Manchester United has allowed just four goals in its 12 fixtures to date, and top keeper Edwin van der Sar has only surrendered three of them.

Wayne Rooney is the offensive leader of this team in spite of the fact that he wasn’t the leader in goals during the season. He has three goals, and he only trails Javier Hernandez, who has four in this competition. Dimitar Berbatov, who had 20 goals in the EPL campaign, has yet to find pay dirt here in the Champions League, but you can bet that he’ll be looking for glory in the finale on Saturday night at Wembley.

Barcelona might not have won the Copa del Rey this year, but that was about the only distinction that it didn’t end up collecting on the season in Espana. The Catalans won the La Liga title with a whopping 96 points, four clear of Real Madrid, and they outscored their foes by an absolutely astounding 74 goals. They won 30 of their 38 matches, some of which came with some substandard sides out on the pitch.

Barca was a little bit more prone to allowing goals in this competition, as it ended up conceding three in the first round of fixtures alone. After that though, the road was incredibly tough to get here, as the Spanish side definitely earned its spot in the finale. Arsenal actually beat the Catalans at the Emirates, only to lose 3-1 in the return leg to get eliminated. From there, the only goals scored were relatively meaningless strikes by Shakhtar Donetsk and Real Madrid. The runners up in Spain were beaten 2-0 on their home pitch, which gave Barcelona arguably the most impressive victory in this competition regardless of team to date.

Lionel Messi has been absolutely off of the charts in this competition, and if Barca is to beat the Champions League lines on this day, he will probably be the man to do the damage. He had a whopping 11 goals on 64 shots in 10 matches, numbers which are just stunning. He’s definitely not the only goal scorer on this team, though. Pedro had four goals in just seven matches, while David Villa had three goals.

The last time that these two behemoths of the sport collided was in the 2008 Champions League finale. Messi scored the game clincher in the 70th minute that day of a 2-0 win for the Spaniards.

Manchester United vs. Barcelona Match Odds @ Bet Online Sportsbook (as of 5/22/11):
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Barcelona +109 (-0.5, +109)
Manchester United +275 (+0.5, -119)
Draw +205

Barcelona To Lift Trophy -200
Manchester United To Lift Trophy +150

Current Champions League Final Odds @ Sportbet Sportsbook) (as of 5/22/11):
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Barcelona +106 (-0.5, +106)
Manchester United +296 (+0.5 , -120)
Draw: +248

Barcelona To Lift Trophy -200
Manchester United To Lift Trophy +175

The Western Conference Finals really didn’t set up the way that most expert NBA handicappers envisioned this year, but there are still definitely two fantastic teams in the fold. The upstart Oklahoma City Thunder and the Dallas Mavericks would both make great feel good stories to beat the NBA Finals odds, but only one can actually get the job done and make it to the big show. Check out our NBA odds and Thunder vs. Mavericks predictions for the big time series starting on Tuesday!

NBA Series Prices
Dallas -230 vs. Oklahoma City +190 @ Oddsmaker Sportsbook
Dallas -230 vs. Oklahoma City +190 @ SportBet Sportsbook
Dallas -240 vs. Oklahoma City +190 @ Bet Online Sportsbook

Series Trends and History
The regular season this year has been one for the dogs, and one for the roadies, and there is no doubt whatsoever that this series could largely end up being the same, exact way. The Thunder won the one game here in Big D, a 99-95 decision in January, but in comes with a huge asterisk, as Dirk Nowitzki didn’t play in that one. The Thunder, with Dirk in the fold, won both contests in the Sooner State, 111-103 in November and 103-93 in December just after Christmas.

In fact, if you’re talking about a series for the dogs, this is the one for you. The underdog is 9-3-1 ATS over the course of the last 13 meetings. Of course, Oklahoma City is also 9-3-1 ATS in the last 13 meetings, though the two stats aren’t identical to one another. The Thunder have indeed been favorites at times in this series, most notably this past season in the trip to Big D without Dirk in the fold.

The Mavericks have gone 18-7-1 ATS in their last 26 games overall, and they are coming off of arguably the biggest series in the history of the team, a four game sweep of the Los Angeles Lakers, the two time defending NBA champs. It is 8-0 ATS in its last eight home games dating back into the regular season, and in games in which Dirk has played at least 16 minutes, the team is 62-19 SU and 50-28-3 ATS, numbers which definitely aren’t ones to frown about.

The Thunder have reached the big time stage in the Western Conference Finals for the first time since they were known as the Seattle SuperSonics (which also surpassed the day in which they were just known as the Seattle Sonics). Behind the oomph of Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, they have done everything that they have needed to do to keep on keeping on in the playoffs, though it hasn’t always been the prettiest. The Thunder have covered 10 of their last 15 games on the road, and they are sure to be a thorn in Dallas’ side in this series.

Keys to the Series
Key 1: Pace – If you had talked to many NBA betting pundits at the start of the postseason, you would have thought that the Thunder would have needed to really play at a frantic pace to still be alive in the playoffs. They haven’t quite done that this year though, as they are slowing things down and really trying to capitalize on their new found bulk on the inside in trade deadline acquisitions, Kendrick Perkins and Nazr Mohammed. Dallas, on the other hand, has transformed itself from an offensive, shoot ’em out team to one that is willing to take its time to run defensive sets and pressure ‘D’. The Mavericks have played devastating defense in this postseason, keeping the high flying Portland Trail Blazers and Los Angeles Lakers down to right around 88 points per game.

Key 2: Pretend Like You’ve Been There – The aforementioned Perkins might only be 26 years old, but he has a bevy of playoff experience that he has brought from his days with the Boston Celtics here to the Sooner State. Sure, his stats haven’t been great (in fact, they’re too embarrassing to even talk about), but we know that he has meant more to this team both on and off the court to measure. Perkins warned his OKC teammates that they hadn’t accomplished anything yet by going up 3-2 in the Western Conference Semifinals against the Grizz. The team came out and got blown away in the second half in Game 6 in Memphis. Now, it’s time for the big time against a big, bad Dallas team that is a heck of a lot more talented than the one on the other side of the court from this past series. If the Thunder seem content with their work, they will be dismissed from the playoffs in relatively easy fashion. They need to play like veterans in spite of the fact that they are all young and most have never been on this stage to succeed.

Key 3: Dirk Must Destroy Bad History in Big D – It’s been pretty well documented just how badly Dirk and the Mavs have struggled in the playoffs in their history. They’ve never won the NBA title. They’ve only been to the Finals once, and in that season, they choked away a 2-0 series lead to the Miami Heat in the finale. Nowitzki says that this team is better than the one that was on the court in ’06 that won it all, but regardless of that fact, there is still a heck of a lot of skepticism in Dallas. Few really believe that this really is the year that things change, especially after so many failed attempts with high hopes as well. Still, owner Mark Cuban and company would love nothing more than to finally give Dirk his ring, and the NBA betting public out there would love nothing more than to cash in with them on that quest as well.

At the outset of the season, pretty much all of the expert NBA handicappers out there thought that the Miami Heat would be the representatives in the Eastern Conference Finals playing host to the first two games of the series. Of course, everyone thought that the Boston Celtics would be the team that they were playing. The Chicago Bulls crashed the party though, and they are the team hosting the first two duels in this series. Check out our NBA playoff picks for this very, very highly anticipated series.

NBA Series Prices
Chicago +170 vs. Miami -190 @ Oddsmaker Sportsbook
Chicago +160 vs. Miami -185 @ SportBet Sportsbook
Chicago +160 vs. Miami -200 @ BetUS Sportsbook

Series Trends and History
The Heat had a heck of a time trying to beat any of the best teams in the league on a consistent basis this year, and Chicago was definitely no exception. In fact, the Bulls swept the season series with three straight wins, and they went 2-0-1 ATS to show for their work as well. Yet the oddsmakers are favoring the Heat in this series in spite of the fact that both of these teams have clearly hit their stride.

Miami reached this point in the playoffs by taking care of the Philadelphia 76ers and Boston Celtics, both of which happened in five games. Chicago didn’t have to work all that hard either. Sure, the Bulls know that they struggled a bit more with the Indiana Pacers and Atlanta Hawks than perhaps they should of, but when push came to shove, winning out in five games and six games respectively, especially since the last two came in awesome fashion against the Hawks, was nothing to forget about.

The Heat are 6-1 ATS in their last seven games against teams with a winning record. They’re also 7-2 ATS in their last nine road games. However, there is definitely a problem going against teams from the Central Division. Miami is only 0-5 ATS in its last five against the Central Division. To make matters worse, it is 0-5 ATS in its last six playoff games as an underdog.

The Bulls, on the contrary, have absolutely nothing to worry about. They dominated this year at home, going 36-5, and they are now 5-1 in the playoffs here at the United Center in the postseason. Chicago is 36-16-2 ATS in its last 54 games against teams with a winning record SU. It is also 12-2-2 ATS in its last 16 home games against teams with a winning road record.

Underdogs are 3-0-1 ATS in the last four games in this series. The home team though, is 5-2-1 ATS, while the Heat are just 1-3-1 ATS in their last five trips to the Windy City.

Keys to the Series
Key 1: Home Court Advantage – The Bulls were never supposed to be able to snare home court advantage in the playoffs, but they did just that by playing well down the stretch and snaring the top overall seed, not just in the Eastern Conference, but in the entire league as well. We’ve already mentioned this great record for Chicago in its own backyard, but the Heat have yet to lose a game at American Airlines Arena as well in the playoffs. Things are amped up another notch in the playoffs, especially in a series like this, and the crowd can really be that sixth man on the court quite a bit. Chicago just cannot lose one of these first two games in this series, or the Heat are most likely going to end up winning this series in six games.

Key 2: The Role Players – Head Coach Tom Thibodeau knows that Derrick Rose, Carlos Boozer, and Luol Deng aren’t going to be able to do all of this by themselves. Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen also had men like Steve Kerr and Dennis Rodman in the Bulls’ great runs in the 90s. Kerr was the man with ice running through his veins, and the truth of the matter is that Kyle Korver could be the same type of player. We know that the Heat have three superstars in LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh, but these three cannot win games by themselves. Whether it is James Jones, Mario Chalmers, Udonis Haslem, or any of the other role players that this team has, someone else is going to need to step up to be able to run with the Bulls.

Key 3: Series Fit For a King, or an MVP? – LeBron James has had a heck of a career, but the truth of the matter is that he has never won the big one. The Cleveland Cavaliers were never in a position where they were supposed to win the NBA Finals, but this time around, James and his new team in Miami are favored to win it all on the NBA Finals odds. Derrick Rose has stood in the face of every situation that he was never supposed to get through, and he has really played well in all of them. We know that both of these men are going to be taking 20+ shots per game. Though neither one is going to be able to win this series on their own, they can both lose it on their own. Rose and James are going to be the spotlight players in this series, and the NBA is going to know which one of its stars is really going to bring it into the next generation.

Boxing betting fans everywhere absolutely cannot wait for the Saturday night fight between “Sugar” Shane Mosley and Manny “Pac Man” Pacquiao, as these two are amongst the best fighters in the world. We have our Mosley vs. Pacquiao picks all set to go for the big time brawl at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday night!

Pacquiao is largely considered the best pound for pound boxer in the entire world right now, and at 53-3-2 with 38 KOs, it’s really hard to argue with that point. The last time that Pac-Man was beaten was in 2005 by Erik Morales right here at the MGM Grand. Since that point, he has captured and retained the WBC Super Featherweight International Title, the Super Featherweight World Title, the WBC Lightweight World Title, the IBO and “The Ring” Light Welterweight World Titles, the WBO Welterweight World Title, the WBC Diamond Belt, and the WBC Super Welterweight World Title. The WBO Welterweight World Title is what is on the line in this event.

Needless to say though, no one is expecting Pacquiao to really struggle with this fight. He has had to go the full 12 rounds against each of his last three opponents since knocking out Ricky Hatton in the second round in May 2009, almost two years ago to the date of this fight with Mosley. However, he beat Miguel Angel Cotto on TKO and took care of both Joshua Clottey and Antonio Margarito without much in the way of a hassle with a unanimous decision.

This very well could be the last fight of Shane Mosley’s career. Since taking care of Margarito in January 2009, Mosley hasn’t won a match. In fairness, he has fought Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Sergio Mora in that stretch, fights which certainly haven’t been all that easy. Mayweather Jr. beat Mosley by unanimous decision right here at the MGM Grand last year, which wasn’t a huge surprise, but the split decision draw against Mora was more of a shock.

Mosley, at 39 years old, clearly isn’t the same boxer that he once was. In fact, since starting his career at 38-0 through 2001, he has been beaten six times and had a draw and a no contest. Now, with arguably the best boxer on the face of the earth waiting in the opposite ring corner, we really don’t see how this fight is going to end up being all that close. Mosley has never been knocked out in his career, and he has never had a fight not go the distance that didn’t end in his victory, but this might be the exception to the rule, as this is probably the hardest fight of his career.

Shane Mosley vs. Manny Pacquiao Tale of the Tape

Current Shane Mosley vs. Manny Pacquiao Odds @ Sportbet Sportsbook) (as of 5/6/11):
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Manny Pacquiao -1000
Shane Mosley +600
Over/Under 11.5 Rounds (Over +150)

Mosley/Pacquiao Goes Distance +160
Fight Won’t Go Distance -185

Mosley Wins Inside Distance +825
Not Mosley Inside Distance -1275

Mosley Wins by 12 Round Decision +3000
Not Mosley by 12 Round Decision -7000

Pacquiao Wins Inside Distance -130
Not Pacquiao Inside Distance +100

Pacquiao Wins by 12 Round Decision +180
Not Pacquiao by 12 Round Decision -220

Mosley/Pacquiao Draw +5000
Fight Not a Draw -9000

Mosley Wins Only +659
Pacquiao Wins or Draw -1017

Pacquiao Wins Only -870
Mosley Wins or Draw +585

It’s report card time! Here at Bankroll Sports, we’re analyzing all 32 teams in the NFL and how they stack up from their wheelings, dealings, and draft picking over the course of the three-day extravaganza known as the NFL Draft!

Arizona Cardinals: The last day of the draft could have really treated the Cardinals well, as they picked up two linebackers in Sam Acho and Quan Sturdivant that could have been severely underrated. Patrick Peterson was a great pickup in the first round at No. 5, as he might have been the best player on the board. The only complaint is that the quarterback problems were never addressed, meaning the Redbirds have a boatload of work to do in the offseason to find their man to lead their team. Still, this was a rock solid draft. Final Grade: A-

Atlanta Falcons: Atlanta took the gamble of the draft by taking Julio Jones at No. 6 overall, trading a second rounder, a fourth rounder, and two future draft choices, including next year’s top pick to get him. He was really the only notable addition in this whole draft for the Falcons though, and we don’t love the idea of sticking all of your rookie eggs in one basket. Final Grade: B-

Baltimore Ravens: There really weren’t any tremendous needs that the Ravens had to fill in this draft, and they really stacked up their depth by continually taking the best player available. Jimmy Smith has some character issues, and perhaps hanging out with Ed Reed and Ray Lewis isn’t the best for that, but there is no doubt that he was a Top 10 talent out of Colorado. Torrey Smith might turn out to be the best receiver on the board, and Jah Reid can stay in help in the O-Line rotation right away. Even the quarterback need was address with Tyrod Taylor in Round 6, a man which reminds scouts in Baltimore of a stronger and faster Troy Smith. Final Grade: B+

Buffalo Bills: Buffalo is another team that never found its quarterback to led it into the future, and we’re really not so sure that that was that great of an idea. Aaron Williams and Marcell Dareus will absolutely be starters in the NFL this next year, and both could be huge impact players. Most of the rest of the draft was spent on defense as well, something out of the ordinary for Chan Gailey and company. Needs weren’t filled, but great athletes were put on this team for sure. Final Grade: B

Carolina Panthers: Scouts in Carolina are loving what they see out of sixth round draft choice, Zachary Williams on the offensive line, and for a team that just got its quarterbacks battered and bruised all year last year, he certainly can’t hurt. The defensive line was bulked with a pair of third rounders who could find themselves starting by the start of the season in Terrell McClain and Sione Fua. This draft is all about Cam Newton though, and the way that his game translates at the NFL level. Final Grade: B

Chicago Bears: It really seems like a lot of these picks were wasted in the back rounds by the Bears. We aren’t much for Nathan Enderle as a pro prospect, and Chris Conte is definitely a project pick moving from linebacker to safety. Still, these first two picks with Gabe Carimi and Stephen Paea were fantastic and gives Head Coach Lovie Smith two new starters to plug into the rotation. Final Grade: B

Cincinnati Bengals: It was all about getting the offense right for new OC Jay Gruden this year for the Bengals in the draft. AJ Green gives the team a man that will probably step onto the field as one of the 10 best receivers in the league, and in case Carson Palmer does retire or get traded, Andy Dalton was picked up in Round 2 to help smooth the transition. The rest of the picks weren’t all that exciting, but Clint Boling could turn into something in time on the O-Line. Final Grade: A

Cleveland Browns: What a draft for General Manager Mike Holmgren! Sure, Cleveland is still a lot of pieces to the puzzle away, but Phil Taylor and Jabaal Sheard shore up the defensive line for certain, and Greg Little and Jordan Cameron could prove to be big time assets in the passing game for Colt McCoy. Owen Marecic is a lot like Seattle’s Owen Schmitt at fullback, and everyone has to be excited about that at the Dawg Pound as well, especially in a hard nosed division. Add all of that to the fact that there are two more picks coming from the Falcons next year as well, and it’s clear that Cleveland made a killing in this draft. Final Grade: A+

Dallas Cowboys: It seems awkward to us that the Cowboys would draft three offensive linemen and no defensive linemen in this draft. Tyron Smith is immediately the team’s new right tackle,and Bruce Carter might prove to be the steal of the draft at outside linebacker, especially opposite of DeMarcus Ware, butthe rest of these picks definitely weren’t all that exciting and really didn’t seem to address that many team needs. Final Grade: B-

Denver Broncos: Denver had one of the best five drafts in the league for sure, but with back to back picks in the second round, there was no reason not to. Von Miller was the ideal fit at No. 2 for the Broncos with his speed off of the edge, and the safety position was shored up as well with the additions of Rahim Moore and Quinton Carter. Julius Thomas and Virgil Green are both huge targets at 6’5″ at tight end, and both could have an impact on this team much like Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez did last year on the Patriots. Final Grade: A

Detroit Lions: Detroit’s draft was basically done in the second round, but Head Coach Jim Schwartz won’t mind. He now has arguably the best interior defensive line in the game with Nick Fairley and Ndamukong Suh, and both Titus Young and Mikel LeShoure bring some more excitement to a young offense that is getting better and better every single day. This might not quite be the year for the Lions, but they’re certainly getting there. Final Grade: A+

Green Bay Packers: None of the Day 2 picks really screamed to us for the Packers, save for DJ Williams, who could turn into a great tight end at the next level after catching passes from Ryan Mallett at Arkansas for a few years. More offense was on tap in the first two days of the draft as well, as Derek Sherrod, Randall Cobb, and Alex Green were the first three selections. This defense is starting to age, and Head Coach Mike McCarthy might rue the day that he really didn’t draft anything useful on this side of the ball. Final Grade: C

Houston Texans: Houston actually spent all but two of its draft picks on defense this year, something that has to encourage the heck out of Texans fans everywhere. JJ Watt gives the team a prototypical down 3-4 end, while Brooks Reed could make a hellacious pass rusher opposite the fantastic Mario Williams. Brandon Harris should immediately step in and start as well alongside last year’s top choice at corner, Kareem Jackson. The back end of the draft was iffy, and we definitely question the pick of Taylor Yates in Round 5, but the Texans really did address a ton of their needs through the draft this year. Final Grade: B

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Indianapolis Colts: Think the offensive line starters from last year know that their days are numbered in Indy? The Colts only had five draft choices when it was all said and done, and the first two came on offensive linemen, Anthony Castonzo and Ben Ijalana. Delone Carter was an interesting add at running back, though he is a bit undersized for the position at just 5’9″. It was all about the linemen for Indy though, and it’s hard to argue about the two that it ended up with. Final Grade: B

Jacksonville Jaguars: When you really look at it, the Jags’ draft this year really ended up being bad news for a lot of the veterans on this team, including Head Coach Jack Del Rio. Del Rio really needs a winning season and a playoff berth to save his job in the Sunshine State, and the team really needs to start to win to fill up the stadium to keep the team where it is and not in a venue like Los Angeles in the near future. Blaine Gabbert might turn out to be great one day, but we don’t know if Jacksonville can really wait for “one day” to happen. An offensive lineman in Round 3 in Williams Rackley is again, a nice pickup, but it’s not going to excite the city. Final Grade: C+

Kansas City Chiefs: The Chiefs have a lot of potential in this draft, but Head Coach Todd Haley and company have a lot of work to do to develop it. Ricky Stanzi could make for an interesting choice one day as the team’s fifth round pick, but the far more interesting pieces to the puzzle are Justin Houston, Rodney Hudson, and Jonathan Baldwin, all of which were first round talent, and all of which will probably end up starting when push comes to shove this year. Final Grade: B

Miami Dolphins: Mike Pouncey is sure to be a starter at one of the guard spots for Miami, but the bigger question is how the rest of this draft will pan out. Daniel Thomas might have to shoulder the whole load for the Fins if Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams leave. We’re intrigued by the selection of Charles Clay, as he can run the ball and line up at tight end or even slot receiver, and the “jack of all trades” type is just what Head Coach Tony Sparano loves to work with. Final Grade: B-

Minnesota Vikings: The Vikings might have ended up with a ton of draft picks when push came to shove, but unless Christian Ponder turns out to be the second coming of Daunte Culpepper, this draft was probably a waste. The only other viable player that we see out of this drat was Kyle Rudolph, but if he doesn’t have a QB to throw him the ball, he’ll bust as well. Final Grade: F

New England Patriots: There are definitely ups and downs in this draft for New England. The biggest upside is that the team now has another first and another second round draft choice next year after trades in this draft, but the biggest downside is that the biggest needs of the team were never addressed. Two running backs and a quarterback in Rounds 2 and 3 really didn’t strike anyone in Beantown, and the only two men that really look like they can step in right away as potential full time starters are Nate Solder and Ras-I Dowling. We’re not generally ones to ask questions of Head Coach Bill Belichick and company, but this time, we really don’t know. Final Grade: C

New Orleans Saints: Greg Romeus was the perfect pickup for the Saints in the seventh round, as this was a man that really had a ton of potential before getting injured in his final season at U-Pitt. The first three picks that New Orleans had look good, as Cameron Jordan, Mark Ingram, and Martez Wilson are all potential starters. The problem that they have is that the Saints gave up their first round draft pick next year to get Ingram, and they know that Reggie Bush is on his way out the door. Final Grade: B-

New York Giants: The Giants drafted a lot of quality guys this year, and they should have a lot of potential playmakers out of this draft. Prince Amukamara was Top 10 talent, and Marvin Austin knows that he could’ve been a first rounder as well. Jerrel Jernigan was a steal at receiver in Round 3, and Greg Jones is definitely a leader at linebacker that might turn out to be a great pickup in Round 6. Final Grade: A

New York Jets: There were a lot of decent college names that came in this draft for the Jets, but the question is whether there will be an real players in the bunch. We don’t doubt that Muhammad Wilkerson and Kenrick Ellis were great finds, but names like Bilal Powell and Greg McElroy don’t excite us — at least yet. Final Grade: B-

Oakland Raiders: Give us a break, Oakland… Giving up a future second rounder to move up in the draft just wasn’t a great idea considering the fact that the Raiders are probably going to stink again next year, and there really weren’t too an fantastic draft picks with what was out there on the board. Demarcus Van Dyke and Chimdi Chekwa are just blazers at corner, but neither are going to be starters in this league to replace Nnamdi Asomugha when push comes to shove. Final Grade: D-

Philadelphia Eagles: The Eagles made some interesting selections late on in the draft, including Stanley Havili, Brian Rolle, and Julian Vandervelde, and Alex Henery might have been the best place kicker in the draft as well. We’re still not thrilled with Danny Watkins in Round 1, nor was Jaiquawn Jarrett all that exciting in Round 2 either. Final Grade: C

Pittsburgh Steelers: The lines were bulked up for the Steelers, with four picks out of five being used on big boys. The rest of the picks were on DBs. It’s hard to say that the Steelers really didn’t address needs, because they clearly did. Still, there wasn’t much to work with in terms of great picks, and Pittsburgh didn’t do anything overly spectacular. Final Grade: C+

San Diego Chargers: Jordan Todman might be one of the steals of the draft in the sixth round, and he compliments a fantastic draft by the Bolts. San Diego has a new big time lineman in Corey Liugey, and Marcus Gilchrist could become a great DB as a third option. Vincent Brown might be able to line up in the place of Vincent Jackson in due time as well. Final Grade: B+

San Francisco 49ers: Names like Ronald Johnson and Bruce Miller are definitely recognizeable for the Niners, but the real picks in this draft that will be under scrutiny for years will be those of Aldon Smith and Collin Kaepernick. We’re just not so sure that trading up to get a quarterback that has only played in the Pistol offense over the last four years is that great of an idea, but we trust Head Coach Jim Harbaugh to get the job done and groom the former member of the Nevada Wolf Pack. Final Grade: B-

Seattle Seahawks: Be honest with us, Seattle fans. Are you in any way, shape, or form excited over this draft? We don’t think that James Carpenter was a great pick along the offensive line, as there had to be bigger needs on the team than that, especially after taking Russell Okung last year. Beyond that, there was really nothing all that special to speak of. A ‘D’ grade is being nice. Final Grade: D

St. Louis Rams: The Rams stockpiled some talent through this draft, and they filled some needs as well. Sam Bradford now has two new receivers to work with in Austin Pettis and Greg Salas, and Lance Kendricks could prove to be a great, athletic tight end as well. Robert Quinn is a sure starter along the defensive line, and Jermale Hines could turn into a stud out of Ohio State. Final Grade: A-

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: The second two days of this draft really did make up for the Adrian Clayborn pick in Round 1 for the Bucs. Da’Quan Bowers was arguably the best second round selection in the draft, and Luke Stocker and Ahmad Black highlight a potentially lucrative second day as well. Give General Manager Mark Dominik credit for building up this team into what could be a contender again this season. Final Grade: B

Tennessee Titans: Unless we end up being proved wrong about Jake Locker, this draft really stunk for the Titans. Second and third round choices, Akeem Ayers and Jurrell Casey were solid picks, but Locker is clearly the crown jewel of the draft one way or the other. Tennessee knows that it has a lot of grooming to do, and there could be plenty of losses in the future. Final Grade: D

Washington Redskins: This was a nice effort by the Redskins in the draft, chock full of a ton of picks to work with late on. If any of these picks in the third day pan out, things will be great for Washington, which already did a nice job grabbing Ryan Kerrigan, Leonard Hankerson, and Jarvis Jenkins. Watch out for Roy Helu this year, as he could immediately step into the lineup as a starter and be a dark horse for rookie of the year. Final Grade: A-