Player Profile: Chris Borland

Height:  5'11
Weight:  248
School:  Wisconsin
Position:  Inside Linebacker
Ranking: #2 Inside Linebacker
Projection: Second Round

Strengths
-Experienced.  36 career starts.
-Elite instincts. Rarely takes a false step. Doesn't bite on play fakes
-Good strength (27 reps) at the point of attack. Can stand the ball carrier up in the hole
-Is a good tackler. Wraps up and takes ball carrier to the ground
-Displays good quickness (1.62 10).  Fills the hole fast and flys to the ball
-Above average blitzer. Can turn speed into power well. Uses quickness to get past lineman
-Very good at playing downhill. Able to fill the hole and take on the ball carrier
-Shows the ability to drop into zone coverage
-Elite Motor. Never quits on a play.  Always going 100 MPH
-Very tough, physical player. Loves contact, not afraid to lay the wood
-Team leader.  Tone setter on defense

Weaknesses
-Small size (5'11, 29 1/4" arms) will affect his draft position
-Only average speed (4.84) for the position.
-Is not a good athlete. Won't go sideline to sideline
-Will struggle matching up man to man in coverage.
-Struggles to shed blocks.  Will get hung up on guys. Arm length could be a factor.
-Has trouble when moving lateral. Will miss tackles and take bad angles

-Miss all but two games in 2010 with a shoulder injury

Summary
If you saw Chris Borland on the street you may not know he's a football player.  Let alone of the the top middle linebackers in this draft class.  That's mainly because of his size.  Standing at 5'11 Borland lacks the ideal size for an NFL middle linebacker.  But it's not his height that bothers me, it's his length.  Borland only has 29 1/4" arms that already make it hard to disengage from blocks, but could be an even bigger issue in the NFL. Borland has been able to get around his size by using his elite quickness and instincts.  He's at his best when moving forward to fill a hole or to blitz.  Where as when he has to move lateral to get outside he will struggle and take bad angles and miss tackles.  He's much better in the phone booth than in space. Borland's best fit will be in a 4 man front, but can succeed in a 3-4 as long as he's in a system where he has guys eating blocks ahead of him. Look for him to go somewhere in the second round.  Oakland could be an landing spot at the top of round two, but don't look for him to fall past the Broncos at the end of the round who desperately need a run stuffing middle linebacker.

Player Profile: Travis Frederick

Travis Frederick

Height:  6'4
Weight:  312
School:  Wisconsin
Position:  Center
Ranking:  #2 Center
Projection:  2nd Round

Strengths
-Big frame allows him to play both center and guard.
-Has the size and strength to take on the big 3-4 nose tackles
-Experienced playing both center (18 starts) and guard (13 starts)
-High Football IQ.  Understands reads, blitzes, and stunts.  Keeps head on a swivel
-Quick powerful hands he uses to jolt defenders
-Well coached with solid fundamentals
-Strong anchor.  Extremely hard to get pushed back
-Uses strength to push defenders off their spot
-Good footwork makes up for lack of quickness
-Plays with the nasty demeanor coaches love
-Doesn't give up.  Plays through the whistle

Weaknesses
-Isn't a great athlete
-Quickness isn't where you would want it to be (1.85)
-Doesn't move well latterly
-Doesn't always keep his feet moving
-Will struggle getting to the second level

Summary
If you are looking for a big, strong, physical, mauling center, then Travis Frederick is for you.  He is going to use his strength and size to push defenders around and open up holes in the running game.  Frederick doesn't have great athleticism, but he makes up for it with sound technique and a high football IQ.  He uses his hands well to jolt defenders and keep them in front of him.  What Frederick struggles with is quicker defenders that take advantage of his lack of lateral quickness.  Because of his lack of athletic ability he only projects to teams that run a man blocking scheme.  Frederick does also brings some versatility having played both center and guard while at Wisconsin.  He projects best at center, but can fill in at guard if needed.  Frederick compares a lot to former teammate Peter Konz and should go somewhere in the mid to late second round. A team to really watch is Baltimore who needs somebody to replace Matt Birk at center.  Frederick's skill sets fit what the Ravens like out of their lineman.

Coaching Carousel (Wisconsin)

Wisconsin Badgers

It's safe to say that nobody really saw Bret Bielema leaving.  Bielema has had a ton of success at Wisconsin.  The Badgers have won the Big 10 three straight years and will also be playing in their third straight Rose Bowl.  Bielema has won 68 games in his seven years and has made it a bowl game year in and year out.  He's lead the Badgers to three top 10 seasons and in 2011 he was two hail mary throws away from competing for a National Title.  Why would Bielema leave a program that had a chance to win the Big 10 every year and getting to a National Title every couple of years?  But Bielema left because he thought he'd have a better chance of winning a National Championship in the SEC and at a school like Arkansas.  Add in that they paid him some good money and he was tired of being in Barry Alvarez's shadow and it becomes no longer a surprise why he left.

One thing is for certain.  Who ever is hired as the next Wisconsin coach is going to be walking into a good situation.  The foundation is set.  Current AD Barry Alvarez built the program and a lot of what he has done has continued.  The team loses some key players (Monte Ball, Ricky Wagner, and Mike Taylor) but still return a deep team that knows how to win.  Alvarez has done a great job of keeping the search close to the vest, but the Badgers should be able to get an accomplished coach who can carry on the tradition of Wisconsin football.  Here are a few names that are in the running.

Potential Candidates

Paul Chryst (Pittsburgh Head Coach)
It was Chryst's name that came up right away when the job opened.  And why not, Chryst was born in Madison, played at Wisconsin, and was a coach for the Badgers on two separate occasions (most recently as their OC).  Chryst is considered an offensive guru and it showed in his final season with the Badgers.  He just finished up his first year as a head coach at Pitt.  Chryst has openly said that he is committed to Pitt and has no interest in the Wisconsin job.  But with the fact that the job search has been so quiet, it's hard not to think that Chryst is actually considering it.  He would still be my favorite to get this job.

Mel Tucker (Jacksonville Jaguars Defensive Coordinator)
Tucker is another alumn of the school who is getting a lot of attention for the job.  Tucker is currently the defensive coordinator for the Jacksonville Jaguars and has been a coordinator in Cleveland and with Ohio State.  Tucker's teams have always statistically been regarded as the best in the NFL.  Tucker has stated that he's not interested, but reports have been out that he's actually interviewed for the job.  Both Alvarez and Bielema had defensive backgrounds, that could help in Tucker's favor.  If Chryst is serious about him not wanting the job, it could be Tucker's to lose.

Darrell Bevell (Seattle Seahawks Offensive Coordinator)
Here is another former Badger player that could be the next Wisconsin head coach.  Bevell is a former QB for the Badgers who helped current AD Barry Alvarez win the first Rose Bowl in the school's history.  For the past seven year's he's been the offensive coordinator for the Minnesota Vikings and now currently with the Seattle Seahawks.  Bevell is a West Coast Offense guy and in Seattle he's help develop a team that is a physical smash mouth rushing attack.  Something that fits in well in Madison.  The problem with Bevell is that he's spent a majority of his time in the NFL and has little experience coaching in college.  Bevell also has never been a head coach.  But with Tucker and Chyrst both openly saying that they aren't interested, Bevell could be the top choice if Alvarez wants to hire somebody with connections. 

Matt Campbell (Toledo Head Coach)
One name that has been floated out there is Matt Campbell from Toledo.  Campbell is young (33) and has only been a head coach for a year.  But he is a hot name in the coaching circles and probably won't be at Toledo for many years.  But there has been talk that Alvarez has talked with Campbell and that could give the program somebody that will be around for a while.  However you have to wonder how good of a fit would Campbell be.  Campbell is known for a spread offense and that doesn't fit with Wisconsin so well.  He has also only coached for a year and that along with age make it difficult for him in the Big 10.  Campbell is probably a long shot, but with reports of Alvarez possible coaching next year too, he could have Campbell come in and  be the "coach in waiting,"

Chris Peterson (Boise State Head Coach)
I'm not one to just throw Peterson's name out there like a lot of other people do.  Peterson is a west coast guy and probably won't take another job unless it is the perfect fit and likely on the west coast.  However Wisconsin might be the job that doesn't fit his desire to coach out west but is a good fit for him.  Although some may feel that Wisconsin's style of play doesn't fit Peterson, that isn't true.  Peterson has run a run based offense that uses a lot of motion and different formations.  That's exactly what the Badgers have been over the past couple of years.  Madison is also relatively tucked away and has the Packers that takes most of the attention in the state.  That fits into Peterson who isn't a big fan of the media.  Does Peterson take this job?  Probably not, but I wouldn't be shocked if he did.

Big 10 Predictions

I've been spending a lot of time lately on the NFL, but with College Football starting soon I'll be taking a look at how I believe each of the conferences will play out.

Today I'm looking into the Big 10 and how it will go with new member Nebraska joining the mix.

Legends

1. Nebraska Cornhuskers, 10-2 (6-2)

Nebraska has the best defense in the conference, but question marks about the offense and mainly their quarterback (Taylor Martinez) could see them struggle in their first year in conference.

2. Michigan State Spartans, 9-3 (5-3)

They return a lot of talent, especially on offense with Kirk Cousins and Edwin Baker who are both big time players. However the ball bounced their way a couple of times in close games and they could not get that same luck this season.

3. Iowa Hawkeyes, 9-3 (5-3)

Iowa lucks out that they don't have to play either Wisconsin or Ohio State this season, but they have to travel to Nebraska and always have trouble playing against Northwestern. Add in that they will be replacing 3 year starter in Ricky Stanzi and are very thin at running back.

4. Northwestern Wildcats, 8-4 (4-4)

Here is my sleeper. Pat Fitzgerrald is one heck of a coach and has the Wildcats on the move up. Look for them to catch a team or two looking past them. Add in that Dan Persa if healthy is one of the best quarterbacks in the conference.

5. Michigan Wolverines, 7-5 (4-4)

A lot of Michigan fans weren't too excited about Brady Hoke being named the head coach, but I feel they got the best person for the job. Harbaugh would have always have an eye towards the NFL while Hoke is there to stay. He has had success at Ball State and San Diego State where others have struggled. It may take a year but Michigan will be back.

6. Minnesota Golden Gophers, 4-8 (1-7)

Jerry Kill wasn't a sexy hire but he is a very good coach. However the Golden Gophers are no where near competitive this season and will struggle in the improved Big 10.

Leaders

1. Wisconsin Badgers, 12-1 (7-1)

The Badgers were one of the favorites going into this season, but then they added Russell Wilson from NC State and Ohio State lost Terrelle Pryor and four more key players. I look for Wisconsin to roll through the Big 10 and either go undefeated or have a slip up. Wilson will give them a playmaker at QB that they haven't had in a long time.

2. Ohio State Buckeyes, 9-3 (6-2)

Even though Terrelle Pryor and Jim Tressell are gone and they don't have four other key players for the first five games of the year, they still have a ton of talent and are going to win a lot of games. The key is the quarterback play. If Bauserman or Braxton Miller don't lose games the Buckeyes can rely on their defense and running game which is still very good.

3. Penn State Nittany Lions, 8-4 (5-3)

Quarterback play is really going to tell a lot about how he Nittany Lions do this season. Robert Bolden was thought to be the man, but he struggled and butted heads with the coaching staff. In their bowl game Matt McGloin played pretty well. If McGloin can build off of that game they could have a good season. But its like they could repeat last year.

4. Illinois Fighting Illini, 7-5 (4-4)

Nobody really expected much from Illinois last year but they got to a bowl game and routed a Baylor team that many thought would roll Illinois. Nate Scheelhaase has turned out to be a great quarterback and will give the Illini a fighting chance in every game.

5. Indiana Hoosiers, 4-8 (1-7)

I really like the hire of Kevin Wilson to Indiana. Wilson's offenses at Oklahoma were always at the top of the NCAA rankings. However its almost impossible to get talent into Indiana for football and Wilson might find it harder to run his uptempo attack.

6. Purdue Boilermakers, 4-8 (1-7)

Purdue is just a mess. They don't have any real talent or difference makers. This is sad because under Joe Tiller they were always a competitive team that produced a ton of NFL talent. Look for a coaching change at the end of this season.

Offensive Player of the Year: Russell Wilson QB Wisconsin

Defensive Player of the Year: Lavonte David LB Nebraska

Freshman of the Year: Jamal Turner WR Nebraka

Coach of the Year: Brent Bielema, Wisconsin