Star on the Rise: Michigan Youth Quarterback Samuel Johnson III Turning Heads at Age 12

At 12 years old, Michigan native Samuel Johnson III has the mechanics and build of a high school football player. The 6th grader at O.W. Best Middle School stands at 5'10" and 130 pounds and has the arm strength and accuracy of a high school quarterback.

Johnson has been training with Quarterback University coach Donovan Dooley since he was 10 years old and he started playing football four years ago.

It isn't often that you come across a 12-year old of his size and talent under center, so we took the time to speak with SJ3 and find out what the secret to his success is. Here's our brief interview:

All-Out Blitz: Okay, first off when did you start playing and what got you into football?

Samuel Johnson III: I started playing four years ago. My dad and I started playing catch in the yard and I pretty much knew that I was a football player soon after that.

AOB: What is a typical workout like for you? Are there certain things you work on more than others?

SJ3: I work out about three hours a day, everyday. I mostly work on my footwork and passing, but also do a little bit of weightlifting.

AOB: What do you think is the strongest part of your game?

SJ3: The strongest part of my game is I think my footwork. Also my arm, I can throw (accurately) about 50 yards down the field.

AOB: Quarterback is the toughest position on the field. What do you find most difficult about playing QB?

SJ3: I think the most difficult part is taking a hit and being able to get back up and getting back to the huddle with your team.

AOB: Do you have a favorite football memory?

SJ3: Yes. Last year in the semifinal playoffs, I threw a 50-yard touchdown with three minutes left to win the game.

Johnson says he works with coach Dooley at QBU, the No. 9 ranked in quarterback training in the nation, around three days a week and his parents are very pro-active in helping him with his training.

SJ3's little league team is the West Seven Rams of the Detroit Police Athletic League, and his goals for the upcoming season include 35 TD passes and being named an All-American. Modeling his game after Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton, SJ3's mechanics will only get better each year.

Consistently mistaken for older than he is, Johnson's size and arm strength has gotten him some early exposure among coaches and fellow players. He has already attended high school combines in his past, and thrown to receivers older than him. He will have a busy next couple of months, as he has received invites to Football University on June 7-9 and an Offense-Defense football camp on June 17-19. He received the invites just a week after attending the D-1 Sports Training Army All-American Combine one month ago.

Johnson runs a 5.87 forty yard dash, a 5.42 shuttle run and a 9.0 cone drill. His vertical jump is 9'46 and a 6'6 broad jump, all impressive numbers for a 12-year old sixth grade quarterback with four years under his belt.

Johnson was fortunate enough to spend some time with the New York Giants' second round draft pick, Johnathan Hankins, this past weekend. Hankins, the Ohio State defensive tackle, is a Detroit-native himself and also played his youth football in the Detroit Police Athletic League.

Though he's currently only 12 years old, there's no question that we could be watching a star on the rise if Samuel Johnson can keep up his growth and training, while maturing through middle school and high school. With a 3.86 GPA and a cannon arm, it would be in your best interest to remember the name Samuel Johnson III. He could find his way onto our television sets one day.

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You can follow Samuel Johnson on Twitter: @SJ3_theFuture

Notable NFL football players that played in Detroit's PAL: Hankins, Jerome Bettis, Larry Foote, Brandon Graham and Bart Scott.

Note: We do not own the above images. They were sent to us via email by Sam's parents.

Greatest Player of All-Time Tournament: Jerry Rice Comes out the Winner

We began this month-long, single-elimination tournament with 64 of the National Football League's best players of all-time. Now that we are approaching the end of April, we have officially ruled out 63 of those players and, thanks to you the voters, have come away with an official winner.

According to you guys, the "Greatest Player of All-Time" is San Francisco's wide receiver Jerry Rice.

There is absolutely no debate when it comes to the best receiver of all-time, Rice will win that one no matter who you're asking. Rice, now 50, is the all-time leader in receiving touchdowns (197) and total touchdowns (207). His 1,549 career receptions, and 22,895 receiving yards are both well ahead of the No. 2 all-time leader. The 13-time Pro Bowler and 12-time All Pro basically holds every possible receiving record in both the regular and postseason while winning three Super Bowls in his 20 years in the league.

The NFL.com list of greatest players of all-time also had Rice at the top. It's really tough to argue against him.

However, the race for this title wasn't quite the landslide that he's use to. His opponent just beat out current Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson for the Madden 25 cover, and is arguably the best running back the league has ever seen: Detroit Lions RB Barry Sanders.

In fact, if it were up to us, we'd argue for Sanders to be considered the Greatest Player of All-Time champion. Sure, Rice's list of accomplishments appears to be endless. But Sanders' list is quite as impressive as well, and he accomplished everything with much less than Jerry.

When you're in the league for 20+ years like Rice, of course there's a much better chance that you'll own a ton of records by the time you retire from the game. And with Hall of Fame head coach Bill Walsh calling the plays with Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Montana throwing you passes, things are much easier. Barry, on the other hand, was running behind a god-awful offensive line with quarterbacks such as Scott Mitchell, Rodney Peete, Erik Kramer and Andre Ware.

Sanders stepped away from the game at a very healthy 30 years old and hadn't even peaked in his performance yet. The third all-time leading rusher made the Pro Bowl in all 10 of his professional seasons with six All Pro selections. He averaged over 1,500 yards per season and 5.0 yards per carry, while turning in one of the most impressive highlight tapes available on the web.

We are in now way trying to diminish Rice's accomplishments, because he is clearly the most-decorated player in the history of the game. But we believe Sanders deserves the title simply because of what he did with what he was given.

The Fan Vote (the one that actually matters): Jerry Rice, 49ers HOF WR

All-Out Blitz's Vote: Barry Sanders, Lions HOF RB

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Biggest Winners and Losers of Round 1

Last night's first round of the annual NFL Draft was arguably one of the most interesting and unexpected opening rounds in recent years.

Three of the top four picks were offensive tackles and five of the top 10 picks were offensive lineman. And for the first time since the 2001 draft, there were less than two quarterbacks selected in the first round. There were a couple of projected first rounders that are still on the board after last night, and a couple of teams made a reach for their respective first rounder.

One thing's for certain: there are both winners and losers of the opening round.

Winners

Minnesota Vikings: With three, yes, three first round selections last night, the Vikings made huge improvements on both sides of the ball. In the deal that sent Percy Harvin to Seattle, Minnesota received the Seahawks' 25th overall pick, and they also made a draft-day deal to grab the 29th pick from New England.

Defensive tackle Sharrif Floyd, projected to go in the top five, fell all the way down to Minnesota at No. 23. Two picks later they landed Antoine Winfield's replacement with cornerback Xavier Rhodes. And, with the No. 29 pick from the Pats, they landed the second best receiver in the draft––Cordarrelle Patterson from Tennessee––to replace Harvin on offense.

Solid picks all around for the Minnesota Vikings.

St. Louis Rams: Head coach Jeff Fisher traded up from the No. 16 spot to the No. 8 spot in a trade with the Buffalo Bills. With that pick, they snagged the most explosiver player in the draft: wide receiver Tavon Austin. With the departure of Danny Amendola this off-season and the need for weapons on offense, the elusive 175 pound speedy wideout may have been the best selection in the draft so far.

St. Louis had two first round picks thanks to the trade with Washington last season, which allowed the Skins to move up to No. 2 and snag Robert Griffin III. With their other pick (No. 22 overall), the Rams moved down to No. 30 in a trade with Atlanta and added inside linebacker Alec Ogletree.

E.J. Manuel: The only quarterback selected in the first round, the Bills used it's 16th pick in the trade with St. Louis to snag Manuel out of Florida State. I've been questioning the move by Buffalo to grab Manuel, though it appears he moved up the board because of his speed and mobility, which fits what Buffalo wants to do on offense.

Losers

New York Jets: It's become quite evident that head coach Rex Ryan worries too much about his defense than his offense. The Jets already traded away their best player––All Pro shutdown cornerback Darrelle Revis––to the Bucs. With the No. 13 pick they received in the deal, the Jets added defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson. Four picks prior to that, at No. 9, they added a potential Revis replacement by selecting Alabama corner Dee Milliner.

Quarterback Mark Sanchez could use all the help he can get on offense, as the Jets ranked 30th in the passing game last year, and 28th in overall offense.

Dallas Cowboys: Instead of using their No. 18 pick to improve the secondary, as I expected, the Cowboys traded down to the No. 31 spot and made a huge reach to improve on the offensive line. Jerry Jones selected Wisconsin center Travis Frederick, whom I was expecting to see come off the board in the second or third round––not the first. Huge reach for Dallas, especially when they could have added Eric Reid with the 18th pick.

Geno Smith: The Jaguars, Raiders, Eagles, Cardinals and Bills all made the decision to pass on Geno in the first round, which frustrated the West Virginia quarterback. Though he has changed his mind and will end up staying in NYC for the second and third rounds tonight, he was originally so frustrated that he had stated he was going home after being skipped over by all 32 teams last night.

Someone close to him must have informed him that returning home today would only hurt his stock, and show teams that he can't handle adversity. Even though he's staying in NYC, I believe that the fact that he even thought about going home today may still hurt his stock a little. He'll be selected by someone in the second round later this evening, but it's still yet to be seen how he handles the situation this season.

The second round is set to get underway at 6:30 pm (eastern time) later this evening, with plenty of talent still available on the board, including several players with first round grades. Should be an exciting second round.

Best Available:

Geno Smith

Ryan Nassib

Matt Barkley

Eddie Lacy

Giovani Bernard

Johnathan Franklin

Le'Veon Bell

Justin Hunter

Robert Woods

Zach Ertz

Menelik Watson

Barrett Jones

Johnathan Hankins

Damontre Moore

Margus Hunt

Alex Okafor

Arthur Brown

Manti Te'o

Kevin Minter

Johnthan Banks

Jamar Taylor

Jonathan Cyprien

Shmarko Thomas

Phillip Thomas

Top 5 picks in Second Round:

1 (33) Jaguars

2 (34) 49ers ((from Chiefs))

3 (35) Eagles

4 (36) Lions

5 (37) Bengals ((from Raiders))

Note: We do not own the above images. No copyright infringement intended.

Your Complete First Round Coverage: Position Rankings, Team Needs, Updated Mock Draft and Live Blog

For the first time ever, The All-Out Blitz will be bringing you full coverage of the first round of the NFL Draft as it unfolds. In the past, we've had coverage of the draft, but have failed to give you a full preview, up-to-the-minute updates, and complete predictions of the annual event.

Unlike last year, we have actually provided our readers with full rankings, multiple mock drafts and every team's needs.

With just about five minutes until the Kansas City Chiefs and new head coach Andy Reid go on the clock, here are our last-minute position rankings, final mock draft (with team needs) and live updates as the first round unfolds:

Position Rankings

QB

1. Geno Smith, West Virginia

2. Matt Barkley, Southern California

3. Ryan Nassib, Syracuse

4. E.J. Manuel, Florida State

5. Mike Glennon, NC State

RB

1. Eddie Lacy, Alabama

2. Giovani Bernard, North Carolina

3. Johnathan Franklin, UCLA

4. Le'Veon Bell, Michigan State

5. Andre Ellington, Clemson

WR

1. Tavon Austin, West Virginia

2. Cordarrelle Patterson, Tennessee

3. Keenan Allen, California

4. DeAndre Hopkins, Clemson

5. Justin Hunter, Tennessee

TE

1. Tyler Eifert, Notre Dame

2. Zach Ertz, Stanford

3. Travis Kelce, Cincinnati

4. Gavin Escobar, San Diego State

5. Vance McDonald, Rice

OT

1. Luke Joeckel, Texas A&M

2. Eric Fisher, Central Michigan

3. Lane Johnson, Oklahoma

4. D.J. Fluker, Alabama

5. Brennan Williams, North Carolina

G/C

1. Chance Warmack, Alabama

2. Jonathan Cooper, North Carolina

3. Travis Frederick, Wisconsin

4. Barrett Jones, Alabama

5. Khaled Holmes, Southern California

DT

1. Sharrif Floyd, Florida

2. Star Lotulelei, Utah

3. Sheldon Richardson, Missouri

4. Sylvester Williams, North Carolina

5. Johnathan Hankins, Ohio State

DE

1. Bjoern Werner, Florida State

2. Dion Jordan, Oregon

3. Ezekial "Ziggy" Ansah, BYU

4. Alex Okafor, Texas

5. Damontre Moore, Texas A&M

ILB

1. Manti Te'o, Notre Dame

2. Alec Ogletree, Georgia

3. Arthur Brown, Kansas State

4. Kevin Minter, LSU

5. Kevin Reddick, North Carolina

OLB

1. Jarvis Jones, Georgia

2. Barkevious Mingo, LSU

3. Sio Moore, Connecticut

4. Chase Thomas, Stanford

5. Khaseem Greene, Rutgers

CB

1. Dee Milliner, Alabama

2. Johnthan Banks, Mississippi State

3. Xavier Rhodes, Florida State

4. D.J. Hayden, Houston

5. Desmond Trufant, Washington

S

1. Kenny Vaccaro, Texas

2. Matt Elam, Florida

3. Eric Reid, LSU

4. Jonathan Cyprien, FIU

5. Phillip Thomas, Fresno State

FINAL Mock Draft (with team needs)

1. Kansas City Chiefs: Eric Fisher, OT

Team needs: OT, DE, DT, WR

Sources have reported that the Chiefs will select Fisher at the No. 1 spot, rather than A&M's Luke Joeckel. Though I believe KC should go with Joeckel, it appears as though new coach Andy Reid has more hope for Central Michigan's Fisher.

2. Jacksonville Jaguars: Bjoern Werner, DE

Team needs: DE, OL, QB, CB, WR

While Jockel is now on the board at No. 2, the Jags' most glaring need is a pass-rushing defensive end and Werner is the best in the draft.

3. Oakland Raiders: Star Lotulelei, DT

Team needs: DT, OLB, OL, QB

While Florida's Floyd is the top defensive tackle, I believe Lotulelei is a better fit for Oakland. At 320+ pounds, Lotulelei can plug the middle and make an immediate impact on Oakland's 18th-ranked run defense.

4. Philadelphia Eagles: Dee Milliner, CB

Team needs: QB, LB, OL, CB

There's a decent chance Chip Kelly could go quarterback and select Geno Smith to develop him into the franchise's next star quarterback. And that's what I originally believed would happen. But with a disappointing Nnamdi Asomugha gone, cornerback is a huge need on the defensive side of the ball.

5. Detroit Lions: Chance Warmack, G

Team needs: G, DE

Adding the top guard would be a huge boost to Detroit's running game, giving new RB Reggie Bush someone to run behind.

6. Cleveland Browns: Dion Jordan, OLB

Team needs: G, LB, WR, S

With Milliner gone, and Warmack also off the board in the previous two picks, it looks like the Browns could go outside linebacker with Dion Jordan. Don't be surprised if they end up trading down.

7. Arizona Cardinals: Luke Joeckel, OT

Team needs: OL, S, TE

This would be a huge gift to the Cardinals if Joeckel does end up dropping to them all the way down to No. 7. Though I believe he's the best OT in the draft, and arguably the best overall player, it all depends on team needs. So this very well may end up happening with Fisher going No. 1.

8. Buffalo Bills: Geno Smith, QB

Team needs: QB, TE, LB, WR, CB

Ryan Fitzpatrick is gone, and though the Bills signed former Arizona QB Kevin Kolb, I don't think they'll be completely content with him taking over the starting role. Smith is the top quarterback in the draft, and if he drops down to No. 8, the Bills should snag him.

9. New York Jets: Barkevious Mingo, OLB

Team needs: WR, OT, OLB, S

Coming out of LSU, the very quick and aggressive Mingo is a perfect fit for Rex Ryan's 3-4 defense. The athletic 240-pound linebacker is a sideline-to-sideline backer that can also put pressure on the opposing quarterback.

10. Tennessee Titans: Sharrif Floyd, DT

Team needs: DL, ILB, G, WR, S

Floyd is a very quick and athletic 300-pound D-tackle and would be able to play on both the inside or outside for the Titans. At No. 10, Floyd is a bargain for the Titans.

11. San Diego Chargers: Lane Johnson, OT

Team needs: OT, ILB, CB

With Johnson falling in their laps, there's no way the Chargers can pass up the opportunity to grab the athletic tackle. Johnson can play on both the left and right side and is so athletic that he actually used to play quarterback in junior college.

12. Miami Dolphins: Sheldon Richardson, DT

Team needs: OL, CB, DL, WR

Four offensive lineman came off the board in the top 11 picks, and the top corner is already gone as well. Needing some depth on the defensive line, Richardson is a great selection here.

13. New York Jets (from Bucs): Tavon Austin, WR

Team needs: WR, OT, S

Snagging Mingo off the board with their No. 9 pick, the Jets can now use this next pick to bring in a playmaker on the offensive side of the ball. It's obvious that the struggling Mark Sanchez could use an explosive player such as Austin.

14. Carolina Panthers: Kenny Vaccaro, S

Team needs: DE, CB, S

I'm sticking by my Vaccaro pick from a couple days ago. The offensive side of the ball is looking great, but the Panthers could really use help on defense, specifically the secondary. Vaccaro is a very aggressive player and has improved vastly in coverage.

15. New Orleans Saints: Ezekiel Ansah, DE

Team needs: DL, OLB, OT

New Orleans is lucky that Ansah fell to them at the 15th pick. The BYU product is a large defensive end with long arms, which he uses to get around blockers. The former basketball player isn't the fastest guy out there, but he's an explosive and aggressive defensive end coming off the edge.

16. St. Louis Rams: Cordarrelle Patterson, WR

Team needs: RB, WR, G, S

Quarterback Sam Bradford has always lacked targets in the passing game, and wideout is an even more glaring need now that Danny Amendola is in New England. Cordarrelle is the top wideout left on the board, and St. Louis shouldn't hesitate to pull the trigger.

17. Pittsburgh Steelers: Jarvis Jones, OLB

Team needs: RB, OLB, OT, WR

Jones drops this far because teams may hesitate to take the injury risk with him, but he's just what the Steelers need in the pass-rushing game now that James Harrison has split to Cincy. Youth on the defensive side of the ball is key for the aging Steelers.

18. Dallas Cowboys: Johnathan Hankins, DT

Team needs: S, OL, DT, RB, LB

Sticking by my pick of Hankins. If Vaccaro is available at No. 18, they'll snag him, but I don't expect him to still be on the board. The explosive tackle can blow up the offensive line and shed blockers without any trouble.

19. New York Giants: Alec Ogletree, LB

Team needs: OL, CB, DT, ILB

Coming out of Georgia and playing with Jarvis Jones, Ogletree shined in 2012. He's a bit undersized as he came to Georgia as a safety, but he's very quick and is a great coverage linebacker. He's a sideline-to-sideline tackler as well and has big-play ability.

20. Chicago Bears: D.J. Fluker, OT

Team needs: OL, WR, LB, S

It's no secret that the Chicago Bears struggle to protect quarterback Jay Cutler. And though they could use a couple of play-making wide receivers, the No. 1 priority on offense has to be protecting Cutler and keeping him upright.

21. Cincinnati Bengals: Matt Elam, S

Team needs: OT, RB, ILB, S

Elam is a short safety (5'10") but is a solid coverage guy and is known for physical play. He has the ability to play cornerback as well and is a solid tackler on the ball.

22. St. Louis Rams (from Skins): Jonathan Cooper, G

Team needs: RB, G, S

The Rams could use a huge boost on offense. Selecting Patterson with their first pick earlier in the draft, St. Louis can take a chance on the draft's second-best guard in UNC's Jonathan Cooper. I'm a tad surprised myself that Cooper fell this far, to be honest.

23. Minnesota Vikings: Keenan Allen, WR

Team needs: WR, DT, LB, DB

Whether it's Christian Ponder or newcomer Matt Cassel under center for Minnesota this season, they'll need a playmaker to throw the ball to. The loss of Percy Harvin is huge on offense, but if they can grab a No. 1 wideout with this pick, the 25th round pick that they got in the Harvin trade could end up being a huge benefit.

24. Indianapolis Colts: Alex Okafor, DE

Team needs: G, WR, DL, CB

With long-time defensive end Dwight Freeney gone, the Colts could really use a speedy, aggressive pass-rusher coming off the edge. That's exactly what the former three-year Texas starter gives them, a guy who has an excellent combination of speed and power. He recorded 12.5 sacks last season.

25. Minnesota Vikings (from Seahawks): Manti Te'o, LB

Team needs: DT, LB, DB

I was thinking Xavier Rhodes would be a great replacement for the departed veteran cornerback Antoine Winfield at the No. 25 pick. But I've been hearing whispers about how much the Vikings like Te'o, so all things seem to be pointing towards him coming off the board here.

26. Green Bay Packers: Eddie Lacy, RB
Team needs: C, RB, DB

What better way to complement the top passing game led by former MVP Aaron Rodgers than to add the explosive, yet quick, running back Lacy out of Alabama. The only running back that I expect to be taken in the opening round, Lacy could be a key component in this offense this year.

27. Houston Texans: DeAndre Hopkins, WR
Team needs: WR, OT, DT

The fourth receiver taken, Hopkins will give quarterback Matt Schaub a solid No. 2 target behind All Pro Andre Johnson. With a top-tier defense that will get LB Brian Cushing back this year, and an All Pro running back in Arian Foster, another wideout to complement Johnson is a must-have for Houston at this point.

28. Denver Broncos: Sylvester Williams, DT

Team needs: RB, DL, ILB, S

The Broncos seem to be set on offense, and a hole opened up in the pass-rushing with the sad departure of Elvis Dumervil this off-season. But Williams is the best bet here for Denver. A top 5 defensive tackle in the draft, the 313 pound Williams is very quick for his size and added 6.0 sacks last season. He can play both the run and the pass.

29. New England Patriots: Justin Hunter, WR
Team needs: WR, G/C, ILB, DB

The Patriots could surely use a wideout to play alongside newly-signed Danny Amendola, and the tall, lengthy Justin Hunter gives Brady a solid option over the middle of the field. He can line up out wide or in the slot.

30. Atlanta Falcons: Johnthan Banks, CB
Team needs: LB, CB

Banks is a top three corner in this draft and nearing the end of the first round is a steal for the Falcons. Banks has four years of college experience under his belt and has great ball skills. He can be active in supporting the run and has the ability to blitz the quarterback as well. An all-around great talent at his position.

31. San Francisco 49ers: Kawann Short, DT
Team needs: WR, DT, S

Many project Short to come off the board in the second round, but given San Francisco's need at defensive tackle, it's certainly possible he could come off at the end of the first. Short uses his size and power to plug opposing running lanes and is athletic enough to make plays in the backfield.

32. Baltimore Ravens: Kevin Minter, LB

Team needs: WR, OT, ILB, S

With Te'o going to Minnesota earlier in the round and Ogletree going to New York, it looks like the defending champs will have to settle for LSU's Minter. Minter is a very quick and aggressive tackler and has the knack to make plays. Not quite a Manti Te'o, but great instincts nonetheless.

Live Blog

8:07pm: It's just past 8 p.m. (eastern time), and commissioner Roger Goodell has just announced that the Chiefs are officially on the clock (after Joe Namath addressed the crowd by yelling "NEW YORK! NEW JERSEY!").

Eric Fisher and Luke Joeckel just told NFL Network minutes ago that neither of them have received a call yet. So it could be either one, but all signs have pointed towards Fisher being the guy.

FYI: We're watching the coverage on NFL Network, not ESPN.

Rich Eisen is repeatedly saying "We're not showing any prospects on the phone. We're not going to tip any picks." Referring to the fact that NFL Network does not want to tip to its viewers who will be the No. 1 pick until Goodell informs us. I like that.

8:17pm: With the No. 1 overall pick in the 2013 NFL Draft, the Kansas City Chiefs select Eric Fisher, OT from Central Michigan.

Jaguars are now on the clock for the No. 2 pick.

*The 6'6"/306 lb Fisher wasn't expected to go No. 1 to the Chiefs until reports came out earlier today that KC had informed Joeckel that they would be selecting Fisher. For the past month or more Joeckel had been projected the No. 1 selection. Fisher is the first OT taken first overall since Jake Long in 2008 (by Miami).

*I wouldn't be surprised to see Joeckel drop several spots now that he hasn't gone No. 1. Jacksonville seems to be more worried about replacing Blaine Gabbert or adding a top-tier pass-rusher.

8:24pm: With the No. 2 overall pick in the 2013 NFL Draft, the Jacksonville Jaguars select Luke Joeckel, OT from Texas A&M.

*Clearly I was wrong. They're putting all of their chips in on Gabbert for at least one more year and have gone with a stud offensive tackle in Joeckel. They hope this will help keep Gabbert upright and give him more time in the pocket. We'll see if his accuracy improves because of this.

*The Oakland Raiders are now on the clock for the No. 3 pick. Their first 1st round pick since selecting Rolando McClain in 2010.

8:35pm: The Oakland Raiders trade their No. 3 pick to the Miami Dolphins, and the Dolphins select Dion Jordan, DE from Oregon.

The Philadelphia Eagles are now on the clock for the No. 4 pick.

*This one came as a shock, as speculation was that the Dolphins had completed the trade in order to select OT Lane Johnson from Oklahoma. Johnson would have filled the void that Jake Long left this off-season.

*In the trade, Oakland gets Miami's 12th overall pick and 2nd round pick (42nd overall).

8:43pm: With the No. 4 pick in the 2013 NFL Draft, the Philadelphia Eagles select Lane Johnson, OT from Oklahoma.

Detroit is now on the clock for the No. 5 pick.

*Three of the top four picks have been offensive tackles. 'Year of the tackle', anyone?

*Cool fact about Johnson: He played quarterback in high school and junior college. By far the most athletic offensive lineman in this draft. Not even close.

8:51pm: With the 5th pick in the 2013 NFL Draft, the Detroit Lions select Ezekiel Ansah, DE from BYU.

Cleveland is now on the clock for the No. 6 pick.

*Sweet. Barry Sanders announced the Detroit Lions' 5th overall pick, rather than Goodell. Classy.

*But in terms of the pick itself, the former basketball player could be a beast lining up next to DT Ndamukong Suh. Ansah, from Ghana, flew under the radar until just a few months ago. It could be a hit or miss pick at No. 5, as he really doesn't have the most experience on the football field.

*He's the first BYU Top 10 pick since QB Jim McMahon in 1982.

8:55pm: With the 6th pick in the 2013 NFL Draft, the Cleveland Browns select Barkevious Mingo, DE/OLB from LSU.

The Cardinals are now on the clock for the No. 7 pick

*Only six picks into the draft, and we're already riding the struggle bus. Werner, Lotulelei, Milliner and Warmack are still on the clock, while Joeckel, Johnson and Mingo are off the boards already.

9:02pm: With the 7th pick in the 2013 NFL Draft, the Arizona Cardinals select Jonathan Cooper, G from North Carolina.

The Buffalo Bills are on the clock for the No. 8 pick

*Cooper comes off the board before Chance Warmack, and is the fourth offensive lineman in the first 7 picks. Interesting. Lots of QBs out there in need of protection. Cooper is a very fast and athletic guard, and is a great addition for Arizona.

9:10pm: The Buffalo Bills trade their No. 8 pick to the St. Louis Rams, and the Rams select Tavon Austin, WR from West Virginia.

The New York Jets are on the clock for the No. 9 pick

*In the trade, Buffalo gets the 16th pick from STL in addition to 3rd, 4th and 7th round picks, in exchange for the No. 8 pick and a 3rd round pick.

*Austin is the best playmaker in the draft, and can make an impact in the return game as well. The only question is will his rookie season look like Julio Jones and A.J. Green's (Top 10 picks in 2011) or Justin Blackmon's (Top 10 pick last year). I'd like to think it'll look like the former.

*No pick for Buffalo here, but the big question is whether they go for a quarterback with the newly-acquired 16th pick? I'm betting no, but who knows.

*First WR the Rams have taken in the first round since Torry Holt in 1999.

9:18pm: With the 9th pick in the 2013 NFL Draft, the New York Jets select Dee Milliner, CB from Alabama.

The Tennessee Titans are now on the clock for the No. 10 pick

*And just like that, the New York Jets have replaced All Pro shutdown corner Darrelle Revis, who they traded to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers earlier in the week. They have another pick at No. 13 (acquired from Tampa in the Revis trade).

9:25pm: With the 10th pick in the 2013 NFL Draft, the Tennessee Titans select Chance Warmack, G from Alabama.

The San Diego Chargers are now on the clock for the No. 11 pick

*Floyd, like I said in my mock, dropped to No. 10. But, surprisingly, the Titans didn't make a move for him. Warmack is still a great pick here though, giving RB Chris Johnson a young guy to run behind. The Alabama product is the second guard to come off the board, giving us FIVE offensive linemen in the top 10 tonight.

9:28pm: With the 11th pick in the 2013 NFL Draft, the San Diego Chargers select D.J. Fluker, OT from Alabama.

The Oakland Raiders are now on the clock for the No. 12 pick

*Shocked to see Fluker come off the board so soon, but I guess I shouldn't be too surprised considering he's one of Nick Saban's 'BAMA linemen. Sixth lineman selected now, and he's the third of Saban's Crimson Tide players to be selected (Warmack and Milliner). All three right in a row.

9:38pm: With the 12th pick in the 2013 NFL Draft, the Oakland Raiders select D.J. Hayden, CB from Houston.

The New York Jets are on the clock for the No. 13 pick

*Hayden, the top CB on Mike Mayock's board, had a near-death experience during practice in November. Would be a great story if he could turn out to have a career worthy of a 13th overall pick. Nearly dying from internal bleeding in his leg, it'll be tough to cheer against Hayden.

*Still certainly an interesting pick for the Raiders to pass over Floyd. And Geno Smith continues to drop in this first round too.

*Perhaps we'll see New York go for a top DT such as Floyd or Star Lotulelei. Or tight end Tyler Eifert? Our No. 13 pick (Tavon Austin) is already off the board, so they wont be getting a top play-maker at this position.

9:47pm: With the 13th pick in the 2013 NFL Draft, the New York Jets select Sheldon Richardson, DT from Missouri.

The Carolina Panthers are now on the clock for the No. 14 pick

*Better 2013 and beyond Darrelle Revis (TB) or Milliner/Richardson?

*Not the exciting pick that Jets fans were looking for, as we can tell from the reaction inside Radio City Music Hall, but he's a guy that could be very productive in this defense for the Jets. Just saw a clip of him running down the field, and he's incredibly athletic for his size, and can get to the QB from the defensive tackle position.

*As I've stated before, I'm not watching the ESPN broadcast. But I just saw someone tweet a hilarious quote from Jon Gruden (which he apparently said over on the ESPN broadcast):

"I think Geno has a lot of friends at ESPN. He's not even the best quarterback on my board."

Ouch. Roasted.

9:52pm: With the 14th pick in the 2013 NFL Draft, the Carolina Panthers select Star Lotulelei, DT from Utah.

The New Orleans Saints are now on the clock for the No. 15 pick

*Lotulelei is finally off the board, the second consecutive D-tackle selected. He's a prototypical nose tackle and can close the pocket really quickly. In other words, he's a nightmare for opposing offenses. And he's versatile.

10:01pm: With the 15th pick in the 2013 NFL Draft, the New Orleans Saints select Kenny Vaccaro, S from Texas.

The Buffalo Bills are now on the clock for the No. 16 pick

Classy. Markell Gregoire, a 13-year old from St. Jude's hospital in Louisiana, was up to announce his favorite team's pick of Vaccaro. Cool addition to the first round, and I'm sure it made that kid's day.

*Will the Bills go quarterback at 16? If not, then I don't think we'll see any QBs go in the first round.

10:06pm: With the 16th pick in the 2013 NFL Draft, the Buffalo Bills select E.J. Manuel, QB from Florida State.

The Pittsburgh Steelers are now on the clock with the No. 17 pick

*Exactly halfway through this first round. Whew. It's been a long 16 picks.

*Wow! Geno Smith is not the first QB off the board, and yes the Bills did go quarterback! I'm thinking Geno and Barkley have officially dropped out of the first round. I get the feeling that there aren't any more teams looking for a first round QB.

*This may be the biggest shock of the draft thus far. Agree? Disagree?

*Manuel's mother is battling cancer. Luckily she has been cancer-free for about four weeks now, he stated earlier. Good to hear.

10:13pm: With the 17th pick in the 2013 NFL Draft, the Pittsburgh Steelers select Jarvis Jones, LB from Georgia.

The Dallas Cowboys are now on the clock with the No. 18 pick

*No surprise here. Jones is a relentless pass-rusher and the Steelers have been targeting Jones for what seems like months. It heated up once James Harrison left town.

*It's almost as if the other teams knew Jones was Pittsburgh's and purposefully laid off him so that he could head to the Steelers at No. 17. Solid pick. The only other dire need that could have been RB, but there isn't a running back that would make sense to go this early.

10:15pm: The Cowboys trade their No. 18 pick to the 49ers, with the pick the 49ers select Eric Reid, S from LSU

The Giants are now on the clock with the No. 19 pick

*Reid becomes second safety off the board as the Niners trade up to snatch him. Surprising to see the Cowboys not take Reid themselves, as that seems to be a need of theirs. Had Vaccaro been available, I believe the Cowboys would have made a move for him at this position.

10:21pm: With the 19th pick in the 2013 NFL Draft, the New York Giants select Justin Pugh, OT from Syracuse.

The Chicago Bears are on the clock with the No. 20 pick

*I honestly wasn't expecting to see Pugh come off the board in the first round, and could have seen the Giants going with a defensive player at linebacker or defensive back. But looking to provide Eli Manning with additional protection up front, New York made the decision to add a versatile offensive lineman. Pugh can play all over: right tackle, left tackle, right guard, left guard. Hell, he can probably even bring you the gatorade bottles if you ask him to.

*With the Bears now on the clock and long-time Chicago LB Brian Urlacher heading out of town, could we see Heisman finalist Manti Te'o come off the board at No. 20? It's certainly possible.

10:29pm: With the 20th pick in the NFL Draft, the Chicago Bears select Kyle Long, OT from Oregon

The Cincinnati Bengals are now on the clock with the No. 21 pick

*Chicago decides not to take Te'o as Urlacher's replacement, and instead select Howie Long's son from Oregon to help keep Jay Cutler upright and on his feet.

*Top talent still available: Sharrif Floyd, Geno Smith, Bjoern Werner, Cordarrelle Patterson, Alec Ogletree, Manti Te'o, Matt Elam, Johnathan Hankins.

10:35pm: With the 21st pick in the NFL Draft, the Cincinnati Bengals select Tyler Eifert, TE from Notre Dame.

The Atlanta Falcons (trade from the Rams) are now on the clock with the No. 22 pick

*The 6'6" Eifert will make for a great target for the young, growing Andy Dalton in Cincinnati's offense. Defenses will be forced to keep tabs on both Eifert and fellow TE Jermaine Gresham over the middle. Could mean trouble.

10:41pm: With the 22nd pick in the 2013 NFL Draft (from the Rams in a trade), the Atlanta Falcons select Desmond Trufant, CB from Washington.

The Minnesota Vikings are now on the clock with the No. 23 pick

*Trufant, brother of former Seahawks CB Marcus Trufant, will team up with Mike Nolan in Atlanta. With a couple of brothers already playing in the league, you know he'll be a competitor. It's in his blood. He could end up turning into a Pro Bowl-caliber cover corner while in Atlanta.

*St. Louis will get Atlanta's No. 30 overall pick later in this round.

**"U S A!" chants can now be heard from the fans in attendance as commish gets up to the podium to honor members of the armed services and Wounded Warriors project. Goodell shakes the hands of each member, and thanks them for their service prior to announcing Minnesota's selection.

10:46pm: With the 23rd pick in the 2013 NFL Draft, the Minnesota Vikings select Sharrif Floyd, DT from Florida.

The Indianapolis Colts are now on the clock with the No. 24 pick

Rather than going in the top 3-5, Floyd falls all the way down to No. 23 in Minnesota. Playing alongside Kevin Williams, Floyd will learn and grow under a great D-tackle for the Vikings.

*The downside to Floyd supposedly outweighed the good, therefore dropping him out of the top 20. He overcame a troubled childhood to get to this point in his life and career.

10:52pm: With the 24th pick in the 2013 NFL Draft, the Indianapolis Colts select Bjoern Werner, DE from Florida State.

The Minnesota Vikings (from Seattle in Harvin trade) are now on the clock with the No. 25 pick

*This is a steal. I thought he was going to go much sooner than 24, and he is an all-around solid pass-rusher. It will be tough to fill the shoes of All Pro Dwight Freeney, but his 13.0 sacks in 14 starts last year certainly looks good on paper.

*Werner could surprise a lot of people and have a great rookie campaign. Not sure it'll be quite Watt-like, but he's sure to make an immediate impact on the field.

10:56pm: With the 25th pick in the 2013 NFL Draft, the Minnesota Vikings select Xavier Rhodes, CB from Florida State.

The Green Bay Packers are now on the clock at No. 26

*No Manti Te'o here, which could leave the door open for him to fall into the hands of Baltimore at No. 32. Rhodes will fill the void that long-time Vikings CB Antoine Winfield left when he bolted to Seattle this off-season.

11:01pm: With the 26th pick in the 2013 NFL Draft, the Green Bay Packers select Datone Jones, DE from UCLA.

The Houston Texans are now on the clock with the No. 27 pick

*Confusing pick here. Green Bay needs a running back and this would have been the perfect time to snag the first running back. Picking the physical, power runner in Lacy would have been the smart move, in my opinion. Went with the speedy pass-rusher from UCLA instead, though.

11:10pm: With the 27th pick in the 2013 NFL Draft, the Houston Texans select DeAndre Hopkins, WR from Clemson

The Denver Broncos are now on the clock with the No. 28 pick

*Wow, look at that. We actually got a pick correct here. Smart move snatching up Hopkins. Michael Irvin has compared him to Roddy White. If he can prove that to be true, Johnson and Hopkins will make quite the tandem for Houston's offense this season.

11:18pm: With the 28th pick in the 2013 NFL Draft, the Denver Broncos select Sylvester Williams, DT from North Carlina

The New England Patriots are now on the clock with the No. 29 pick

*Williams will likely start up front right away, and could vastly improve the Broncos run D. Stopping the run is his biggest strength and he could be a guy that's on the field every play. Very athletic guy inside.

*Damontre Moore was another possibility for Denver, to replace Elvis Dumervil who split for Baltimore this off-season. But picking Sly Williams over Moore was the right choice here for John Elway's Broncos.

11:31pm: The New England Patriots traded the 29th pick in the 2013 NFL Draft to the Minnesota Vikings. The Vikings select Cordarrelle Patterson, WR from Tennessee.

The St. Louis Rams (in a trade from Atlanta) are now on the clock with the No. 30 pick

*In the trade the Patriots picked up Minnesota's 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 7th round picks. Quite the trade just went down in NYC. The Pats trade out of the first round, but pick up three additional picks. This was a complete Bill Belichick thing to do, and you know he'll get value out of each of these picks. It's just what he does.

*At first reaction, you'd think the Vikings would have been going after Manti Te'o at 29, but with two picks (Sharrif Floyd and Xavier Rhodes) earlier in this round both going to the defense, that's not likely. Wide receiver was the smart choice, as they lost Percy Harvin via trade with Seattle and Ponder/Cassel need help in the passing game. Patterson was the best choice here, clearly.

*Boston Marathon victims and first responders being honored just prior to Goodell announcing Minnesota's pick. Since it was supposed to be New England's pick, Joe Andruzzi came out to speak on behalf of the people of Boston.

11:38pm: With the 30th pick in the 2013 NFL Draft, the St. Louis Rams select Alec Ogletree, LB from Georgia

The Dallas Cowboys (trade with San Francisco) are now on the clock with the No. 31 pick

*Ogletree slid out of the 20s and into St. Louis' lap due to off-field issues. But I'd say he's worth the risk and St. Louis' second 1st round pick should turn in a pretty decent career as long as he stays out of trouble.

*Along with Minnesota and their three 1st round picks, St. Louis got some great value with their multiple first rounders. Ogletree and the biggest play-maker in the draft, Tavon Austin.

11:43pm: With the 31st pick in the 2013 NFL Draft, the Dallas Cowboys select Travis Frederick, C from Wisconsin.

The Baltimore Ravens are now on the clock with the No. 32 pick

*Wow. I wasn't even expecting Frederick to come off the board in the second round. Seems to me like a reach for Jerry Jones. The only pick of the round for Dallas, and they probably should have snagged safety Matt Elam from Florida.

11:45pm: With the 32nd and final pick of the 2013 NFL Draft, the Baltimore Ravens select Matt Elam, S from Florida.

*No inside linebacker for the Ravens, as they leave Te'o on the board and did not find a replacement for legendary Ray Lewis in the first round of this year's draft.


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And that's a wrap! The first round is officially in the books over three and a half hours after it began. Rough night, especially if you're a running back or if you're name is Geno Smith.

Before we call it a night, we have just a few notes to wrap up the first night:

*Minnesota is showing they are ready to compete in 2013. By dishing out the monster headache that is Percy Harvin and collecting a few draft picks, the Vikings end up taking three guys in the first round: DT Sharrif Floyd (the steal of the night at No. 23), CB Xavier Rhodes and WR Cordarrelle Patterson.
*Three offensive tackles went in the first four picks; four offensive linemen in first seven picks; five OL in top 10.
*Zero running backs were taken in the first round, and only one QB (E.J. Manuel to Bills at No. 16).
*Most shocking selection/biggest reach: C Travis Frederick (Dallas at No. 31)
*Biggest falls: Geno Smith out of 1st round, Sharrif Floyd to No. 23, Bjoern Werner to No. 24.
*Best talent left out of first round: Geno Smith, Ryan Nassib, Eddie Lacy, Justin Hunter, Keenan Allen, Damontre Moore, Jessee Williams, Alex Okafor, Manti Te'o, Arthur Brown, Kevin Minter, Johnthan Banks and John Cyprien.

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Two Days Away: Updated First Round 2013 NFL Mock Drafts

Our good friend Patrick Woo, the Sports Director for Penn State's ComRadio (PSU's student-run radio station), submitted us his first round mock draft last week. We posted it, but since then he has made some adjustments to it.

In addition, we have come up with our own mock draft for Thursday evening's first round. With less than two days until commissioner Roger Goodell gets the draft underway at Radio City Music Hall in NYC, here is how we––and Patrick––think the first round will unfold.

Note: All-Out Blitz's picks are in bold, and Patrick's are in italics.

2013 NFL Mock Draft: 1st Round

1. Kansas City Chiefs

All-Out Blitz: Luke Joeckel, Texas A&M OT

Patrick Woo: Luke Joeckel, Texas A&M OT

2. Jacksonville Jaguars

AOB: Sharrif Floyd, Florida DT

Woo: Dion Jordan, Oregon OLB

3. Oakland Raiders

AOB: Eric Fisher, Central Michigan OT

Woo: Eric Fisher, Central Michigan OT

4. Philadelphia Eagles

AOB: Geno Smith, West Virginia QB

Woo: Star Lotulelei, Utah DT

5. Detroit Lions

AOB: Lane Johnson, Oklahoma OT

Woo: Ziggy Ansah, BYU DE

6. Cleveland Browns

AOB: Dee Milliner, Alabama CB

Woo: Dee Milliner, Alabama CB

7. Arizona Cardinals

AOB: Chance Warmack, Alabama G

Woo: Jarvis Jones, Georgia OLB

8. Buffalo Bills

AOB: Star Lotulelei, Utah DT

Woo: Ryan Nassib, Syracuse QB

9. New York Jets

AOB: Barkevious Mingo, LSU OLB

Woo: Tavon Austin, West Virginia WR

10. Tennessee Titans

AOB: Johnathan Cooper, North Carolina G

Woo: Sharrif Floyd, Florida DT

11. San Diego Chargers

AOB: Bjoern Werner, Florida State DE

Woo: Lane Johnson, Oklahoma OT

12. Miami Dolphins

AOB: Sheldon Richardson, Missouri DT

Woo: Chance Warmack, Alabama G

13. New York Jets (from Bucs)

AOB: Johnthan Banks, Mississippi State CB

Woo: Barkevious Mingo, LSU OLB

14. Carolina Panthers

AOB: Kenny Vaccaro, Texas S

Woo: Sheldon Richardson, Missouri DT

15. New Orleans Saints

AOB; Dion Jordan, Oregon OLB

Woo: Kenny Vaccaro, Texas S

16. St. Louis Rams

AOB: Cordarrelle Patterson, Tennessee WR

Woo: Jonathan Cooper, North Carolina G

17. Pittsburgh Steelers

AOB: Jarvis Jones, Georgia OLB

Woo: Cordarrelle Patterson, Tennessee WR

18. Dallas Cowboys

AOB: Johnathan Hankins, Ohio State DT

Woo: Sylvester Williams, North Carolina DT

19. New York Giants

AOB: Ziggy Ansah, BYU DE

Woo: Bjoern Werner, Florida State DE

20. Chicago Bears

AOB: D.J. Fluker, Alabama OT

Woo: Arthur Brown, Kansas State LB

21. Cincinnati Bengals

AOB: Matt Elam, Florida S

Woo: D.J. Fluker, Alabama OT

22. St. Louis Rams (from Skins)

AOB: Alec Ogletree, Georgia LB

Woo: Matt Elam, Florida S

23. Minnesota Vikings

AOB: Tavon Austin, West Virginia WR

Woo: Justin Hunter, Tennessee WR

24. Indianapolis Colts

AOB: Datone Jones, UCLA DE

Woo: Tank Carradine, Florida State DE

25. Minnesota Vikings (from Seahawks)

AOB: Xavier Rhodes, Florida State CB

Woo: Manti Te'o, Notre Dame ILB

26. Green Bay Packers

AOB: Eddie Lacy, Alabama RB

Woo: Jonathan Cyprien, FIU S

27. Houston Texans

AOB: DeAndre Hopkins, Clemson WR

Woo: Menelik Watson, Florida State OT

28. Denver Broncos

AOB: Alex Okafor, Texas DE

Woo: Datone Jones, UCLA DE

29. New England Patriots

AOB: Keenan Allen, Cal WR

Woo: Margus Hunt, SMU DE

30. Atlanta Falcons

AOB: Damontre Moore, Texas A&M DE

Woo: Jamar Taylor, Boise State CB

31. San Francisco 49ers

AOB: Sylvester Williams, North Carolina DT

Woo: Darius Slay, Mississippi State CB

32. Baltimore Ravens

AOB: Manti Te'o, Notre Dame LB

Woo: Alec Ogletree, Georgia LB

First Round Breakdown:

All-Out Blitz's Mock

QB: 1
RB: 1
WR: 4
TE: 0
OT: 4
G: 2
C: 0
DT: 5
DE: 5
LB: 5
CB: 3
S: 2

Patrick Woo's Mock

QB: 1
RB: 0
WR: 3
TE: 0
OT: 5
G: 2
C: 0
DT: 4
DE: 5
LB: 6
CB: 3
S: 3

Aside from the three picks that were identical (No. 1, No. 3 and No. 6), our mock has some pretty big differences in comparison to Patrick's. We believe that the Eagles will select Smith No. 4, rather than picking a replacement for Nnamdi Asomugha with Alabama's CB Dee Milliner. This is likely Michael Vick's last season with the team, and Smith's playing style fits new head coach Chip Kelly's offensive scheme.

Woo has Nassib as his top quarterback with Smith not even being taken in the first round, just like his previous mock.

Patrick has a huge college football background and is more knowledgable within the college game than we are at the All-Out Blitz, so we trust his judgement with Smith. We just don't see him falling quite as far as others feel that he will slide on Thursday night.

Any thoughts on our mocks? Let us know what you think in the comments section!

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James Harrison to Bengals: Top 6 Moments in a Pittsburgh Uniform

As of yesterday, long-time Pittsburgh Steelers outside linebacker James Harrison will no longer be crushing skulls while sporting the black and gold. In fact, he'll be doing so while wearing a rival's uniform.

The 34-year old Harrison has signed a new two-year contract with AFC North counterparts the Cincinnati Bengals, meaning he'll meet the Steelers twice a year.

It'll be tough for Pittsburgh fans to root against Harrison, who was voted for five Pro Bowls and two First Team All Pro squads while with the franchise over the years. Here are some of Silverback's greatest moments while with Pittsburgh:

Interception and Hurdle over LaDainian Tomlinson on MNF

Long before Harrison was well-known around the league as the ferocious pass-rusher nicknamed Silverback, and long before commissioner Roger Goodell began fining him for countless illegal hits on opponents, there was this play. On Monday Night Football on October 10, 2005 during Pittsburgh's quest for Super Bowl win No. 5, Harrison picked off a Drew Brees pass attempt and ran it back for 25 yards near the 50-yard line in the second quarter.

It was his first career interception, but what was the most special part about that play was the fact that he jumped over LaDainian Tomlinson. At 6'0" and nearly 250 pounds, Harrison doesn't exactly look like a very nimble play on the field, but this play (shown below) put him on the map and showed everyone his athleticism.

Harrison Slams Browns Fan

If this incident doesn't discourage you from jumping out of the stands at an NFL game and running onto the field, then I honestly have no idea what will. On Christmas eve 2005 during a Steelers/Browns game, Browns fan Nate Mallett (had to do a little research to find out his name) ran out onto the field, and this was the result:

Ouch. Can you imagine being body-slammed by this dude? He says it didn't hurt, but I don't care how much alcohol is in your system, there's no way he didn't feel that one in the morning. At least the players he hits on the field are fully dressed with pads. Nate had nothing to protect him from Harrison and the cold-hard ground. I doubt he ever tried to pull something like that ever again.

Career-high 3.5 Sacks in a 38-7 MNF win over Baltimore

Throughout his career, Harrison was known to his fans as a Raven killer. He played his best games against their arch-rival Baltimore Ravens, and this 38-7 Monday night trouncing on November 5, 2007 was no different. In the first game Harrison started against the Ravens, he set a career-high with 3.5 sacks against Baltimore's Steve McNair. He also added an interception that he returned for 20 yards as McNair managed just 63 yards through the air on his 13 of 22 passing.

The 38 points scored is still the second-most the Steelers have ever put up against its AFC North rivals.

Three Consecutive Double-Digit Sack Seasons

In his 2008 campaign Harrison started all but one game while setting a career-high in sacks (16.0) and tying a career-high in forced fumbles (7) while recording 93 combined tackles. His first of two All Pro seasons happened to be the first out of his three consecutive double-digit sack seasons. The year prior he came up just short, recording 8.5 in his 16 starts. The next two years Harrison combined for 20.5 sacks in 32 starts, adding 2 interceptions, 11 forced fumbles and 179 combined tackles. During his three-year stretch from 2008-10, Harrison played his best football and was voted to three Pro Bowls and two All Pro teams.

After his 2010 campaign, Harrison was still dominant but only when he was healthy. Injuries and aging plagued his 2011 and 2012 seasons as he started just 11 and 13 games respectively. He did make the Pro Bowl again in 2011, but he combined for just 15 sacks over those two seasons.

Postseason Career-high 3.0 sacks in 2010 Divisional Victory over Baltimore

In Silverback's eight career postseason games his best performance by far came in the 2010 AFC Divisional game against, you guessed it, Baltimore. Harrison dominated quarterback Joe Flacco in the passing game, recording 7 combined tackles and sacking him a postseason career-high 3.0 times. The 31-24 victory put the Steelers in the AFC Championship and eventually back in the Super Bowl against the Packers, though Harrison performed poorly (1.0 sack, didn't make much of an impact on outcome) and the Packers came away with the 31-25 win.

In 11 career regular season games against the Ravens, Harrison has 66 combined tackles and 11.0 sacks. In his two career postseason games against Baltimore, he has 13 tackles and 3.0 sacks.

Record-breaking 100-yard Interception TD in Super Bowl XLIII

This was the defining moment in Harrison's career, and was the biggest play of Pittsburgh's 27-23 Super Bowl victory over the Cardinals. With the Cardinals down 10-7 just before halftime and knocking at the door, Harrison stepped right in front of a Kurt Warner pass and returned it all the way to the other end of the field for a touchdown. It was without a doubt a momentum-changer, as Warner's Cards had the ball inside the five and about to take the lead for the first time of the game.

The touchdown gave Pittsburgh an extended 17-7 lead at the half, and shifted the momentum back to their side. Though Arizona scored 16 4th quarter points and nearly completed the comeback in the second half, Pittsburgh managed to hold off the feisty Cards thanks to Harrison's Super Bowl record 100-yard interception TD. Though it was his second Super Bowl ring, it was the first one that he actually made a huge contribution to.

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At 34 years old (will turn 35 on May 4) and missing eight starts over the last two seasons, it's clear that Harrison's best days are long gone. But that doesn't mean that he can't make a contribution to Cincinnati's pass-rush this season, which was ranked third in sacks in 2012 with 51.

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Greatest Player of All-Time Tournament: Championship

Exactly one month ago today we introduced our great little idea for a "March Madness" tournament. We introduced all 64 of the seedings in four different "regions" and then introduced each of the First Round match-ups for you to begin your voting.

Now, a month later, we've finally cut down the 64 all-time greats to just two: Jerry Rice and Barry Sanders. A No. 1 seed (and the top seed of the entire tourney) and a No. 2 seed in Sanders.

This could be the toughest match-up of the entire tournament; yes, tougher than deciding between picking Jim Brown and Barry Sanders in the Final Four. But, trust me, you made the right decision in Sanders. Sure, Brown was the most dominant runner of his era by far. But Sanders was the type of player who could have been dominant in any era, using his speed, shiftiness and quick feet to make every potential tackler miss. When arguing for Sanders, all I would have to mention is the team and offensive line he played behind.

I guess that previous paragraph kind of reveals who my vote will be going towards in this final match-up, which means yes, I'll be voting against the most productive wide receiver the NFL has ever seen.

I'll remind you all once one last time how to cast your votes:

1. Leave your picks in the comments section below this article (you can do so anonymously if you would like).

2. Leave your picks on our Facebook or Tumblr page.

3. Tweet us your picks @AllOutBlitz1

4. Email us your picks at benheck77@yahoo.com

5. Or you may even send us a text message at 443-988-8597.

Championship

1 Jerry Rice vs. 2 Barry Sanders

Rice: By far the greatest wide receiver this game has ever seen. His numbers are incomparable to the rest of the wideouts both current and past. With 22,895 career yards, Rice is nearly 7,000 ahead of the second-place Terrell Owens. Going to 13 Pro Bowls and named to 10 First-Team All Pro squads over his 21 seasons, there's no doubt Rice's records will stand for years to come. Have I mentioned that the Hall of Famer has 208 total touchdowns and won three Super Bowls with the San Francisco 49ers.

Sanders: In our humble opinion, we'd say Sanders is the greatest running back of all-time. Though historians would likely argue against that statement and say it's between Payton and Brown and stat geeks would say it's Emmitt Smith (solely based on his all-time yards and TD numbers). But, looking at the bigger picture: Is there really anyone who can compare? Barry has the best highlight reel-worthy runs, played behind one of the worst offensive lines in the league at the time, meaning he had little talent around him. Not to mention he's likely run for the most negative yardage in NFL history, but still managed 15,000+ yards for his career.

VOTE AWAY!

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