NFL GridIron Gab Daily Digest

Purdue defensive end Ryan Kerrigan had a dinner meeting Thursday with the Jaguars, according to a league source with knowledge of the situation. Kerrigan was a three-year starter for the Boilermakers, a team captain and an academic All-American selection. The Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and Defensive Lineman of the Year recorded 70 tackles, 26 tackles for losses, 12 1/2 sacks and five forced fumbles.

“I was just really sure of myself every snap,” Kerrigan said at the NFL scouting combine. “I had a good idea of what plays were coming and that came from watching a lot of game tape and I was able to take that to the field and have a good idea of what play was coming. That allowed me to be a little bit quicker at the start when the ball was snapped.” Kerrigan was named Most Valuable Player on defense and was named the first consensus All-American at Purdue in the past three decades.

Despite an extension and another week of talks, the NFL owners and players have not gotten enough done to stop the NFLPA from moving forward and going through the process of decertifing on Friday.

Adam Schefter Tweeted the following about the process that the NFLPA will take the step to decertify Friday.

Deadlines can change minds. But NFLPA is poisted to decertify Friday. One person tonight: “Get ready for this to blow up tomorrow.”

Earlier in the day, NFL Executive Director DeMaurice Smith sent out the following message via Twitter.

Players stay strong! Stay informed, update by 2pm tomorrow

It sounds like the end is near, and that there’s no doubt that this is going to drag on for sometime and there’s going to be a lockout.

Nothing like a good rumor to get you past your Thursday. This one to me is REALLY a stretch, and has to do with former Giants back Tiki Barber, who at 36 wants to come out of retirement to play in the NFL again.

The following is from the NY Post (never known to try and stir the pot on anything)!

The Steelers have emerged as a potential landing spot for Tiki Barber, according to two sources. The Giants are not going to impede Barber’s attempt to find a new team and are likely to give permission to Barber and his agent, Mark Lepselter, to start the process of drumming up interest — without any tampering fears by other teams — while the CBA negotiations are ongoing

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1. Kyle Rudolph, Notre Dame, 6′6 265
- Scouting report available

2. D.J. Williams, Arkansas, 6′2 250
- Scouting report available

3. Lance Kendricks, Wisconsin, 6′4 240
- Scouting report available

4. Luke Stocker, Tennessee, 6′6 253
Pos: Route running, focus Neg: Speed, elusiveness Draft Pro: 3rd round
Similar: Steve Heiden (Cle)

5. Andre Smith, Virginia Tech, 6′5 272
Pos: Blocking, upside Neg: Speed, route running Draft Pro: 3rd-4th round
Similar: Robert Royal (Cle)

Speed
D.J. Williams, Arkansas
- Has the speed and release quickness to get down the seam and challenge coverage. His technique to avoid the jam continued to improve, which allowed him to establish position in his route and get downfield.
Hands
Kyle Rudolph, Notre Dame
-I didn't see a single dropped pass from Rudolph. He makes tough catches look easy and is very natural with his hands. He should be a reliable target for years to come at the next level.

Route Running
Kyle Rudolph, Notre Dame
-Knows how to setup defenders and push them away from his reception point. Has the size and strength to gain and maintain position with consistency; translates well to the NFL.

Blocking
Andre Smith, Virginia Tech
- Andre Smith was almost another lineman for the Hokies. He opened up running lanes, sealed the edge, and neutralized secondary defenders in space, all with great leverage and consistency.

According to NFL.com, Auburn quarterback Cam Newton has private workouts scheduled with at least eight NFL teams, ensuring that roughly half of those in the top half of the NFL draft’s first round will have a closer look at one of the most intriguing prospects.

Newton’s father, Cecil, told NFL.com senior analyst Gil Brandt on Wednesday that four of the teams are the Panthers, Bills, Vikings and Redskins.

A league source later told NFL Network insider Jason La Canfora that Newton also is scheduled to work out for the Tennessee Titans, Miami Dolphins, Cincinnati Bengals and Cleveland Browns.

As many of you may know, I was originally extremely supportive of Carson Palmer during the 2010 season.

While many sectors of Bengal Nation was ready to chase number nine out of town on a rail, I considered such talk plain lunacy.  Blogs and message boards throughout the internet openly debated whether Palmer had lost his fastball and his mojo.  They pointed to stats that showed a career-high 20 picks, many of which were returned for touchdowns, and at least 3 of which led directly to losses.  They pointed out that dozens of other passes were almost intercepted, that passes seemed to sail high and hang in the air, and that despite being armed with a bevy of talented receivers, he could not take the offense out of their doldrums.

Meanwhile, I argued for calm.  The man has a Heisman trophy after all, and led one of the most potent offenses in the league just a few years earlier.  I pointed out that quarterbacks don't even hit their prime until their post-30 years, and after suffering through David Klingler, Akili Smith, Neil O'Donnell, Jeff Blake, and Scott Mitchell, maybe fans should appreciate the devil you know.

I now humbly ask you for your kind forgiveness.  I was wrong.

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AL.com reports that while Mark Ingram is the one with all the pub, it appears that Marcell Dareus could surprise as the number one overall pick when the Panthers choose at #1 next month.

Mark Ingram often drew the headlines at Alabama, but teammate Marcell Dareus may be making them at the draft. NFL head coaches, including Carolina’s Ron Rivera and Denver’s John Fox attended [Alabama's pro day]. Rivera, who holds the No. 1 pick in the draft, spent plenty of time talking to [Dareus], who some draft analysts feel is contending with former Auburn defensive tackle Nick Fairley to be the top pick. Dareus, who weighed 318 pounds Wednesday, said he went 8 feet, 10 inches in the standing broad jump. He also raced through agility drills with plenty of power, and said he wanted to show teams his flexibility, including good hands and footwork.

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There are two types of mock drafts.  There are those that are intended to predict what a franchise will do and those that predict what a franchise should do, both from the author's perspective.

Last year I tried to predict what franchises should do, and my mock turned out to be less accurate than Shaq from the free throw line.

So, this year I have been taking a different approach by trying to predict what franchises will do and that has been an agonizing experience thus far, particularly when trying to place this year's crop of quarterbacks whom all seem to have draft stock that is, to steal a phrase from Rick Spielman, "etched in oatmeal."  Add on the fact that we don't know if free agency and trades will occur before or after the draft and we now have all the makings of a hack blogger sleeping less and driving his wife batty.

The last couple of days have produced a good quantity of tidbits and insights into some of the quarterbacks potentially available to the Vikings.  So, if you are interested in seeing a somewhat comprehensive look at some of the items that have made me so indecisive, then keep reading after the jump.

RYAN MALLETT

As the college season came to a close I was not shy about declaring Arkansas quarterback Ryan Mallett as my favorite passer in the draft, despite an incident involving public intoxication.

Mallett, however, had since been slammed by unnamed scouts participating in interviews where they made references to having plenty of dirt on Mallett and that the baggage was the type no team would want to carry.

Then we got some possible clarification when NFL Draft Monster ran an article in which they cite multiple sources from within the Arkansas program claiming to have witnessed Mallett using marijuana and cocaine.

In the eyes of the media, Mallett did not do himself any favors by abruptly ending his Combine interview session after repeated questions focused on the drug rumors.  The media and the actual teams are two different stories, however, and there was plenty of post-Combine chatter that Mallett was actually quite impressive during private interviews with teams.

I cannot say for sure if the Vikings met with Mallett during the Combine but we do know that they met with one of his teammates, tight end D.J. Williams, and I wouldn't be surprised if they snuck in some questions about Mallett.  That isn't to say they aren't interested in Williams himself, as he is a fine player in his own right.

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