Miami Dolphins DE Vernon And TE Egnew Added

Missouri tight end Michael Egnew was Miami’s next selection with the 78th overall pick as they traded down six spots with the San Diego Chargers. San Diego gave the Dolphins the 183rd overall pick in tomorrow’s sixth round in return so they could move up and take LSU safety Brandon Taylor at No. 73.

Vernon was the first Hurricane taken in the draft and the first chosen by the Dolphins since 2004 when they drafted offensive tackle Vernon Carey in the first round. He will also get to play in the same stadium, Sun Life Stadium, where he played his college football as the 72nd overall pick.

“I can’t really explain it right now but I’m excited to be a Dolphin,” said Vernon, who missed the first six games of the 2011 season while serving a suspension. “I worked out for the Dolphins during Miami Day and at our Pro Day and I feel like I can bring another winning mindset to the team.”

During his career at Miami, the 6-foot-2, 251-pound Vernon recorded 81 tackles (51 solo), nine sacks and 20.5 tackles for loss. He also forced one fumble and recovered one fumble.

Vernon’s best season came as a sophomore in 2010 when he notched 39 tackles (25 solo) and a career-high six sacks while starting 11 of 13 games at right defensive end. He added 10.5 tackles for loss but he feels like he left something to be desired at UM.

“I would characterize my career as not fulfilled because I didn’t get to fulfill everything I wanted at UM,” Vernon said. “But everything happens for a reason and now it’s my time to start a new chapter in my life. I had some minor setbacks with the suspension but I feel like I have to move past that and start a new chapter with the Dolphins.”

Egnew brings more size to the tight end position at 6-5 and 251 pounds and in 2010 he caught 90 passes for 762 yards and five touchdowns while playing with quarterback Blaine Gabbert. This past season he embraced a more expanded role as a blocker and enjoyed it.

As far as how he sees himself in the NFL, Egnew believes he’ll fit right in as a pass-catching tight end capable of producing down the field. That position has trended differently in recent years with more players performing like wide receivers.

“I’d be a fool if I didn’t say I resembled Jimmy Graham and Rob Gronkowski a little bit,” Egnew said. “I’m just going to go in and learn everything that I can and develop all of my skills that I already have. I’ll conform to be whatever type of tight end that I need to be in order to help the team win.”

Jaguars Tight End Zach Potter Upset Of Drafted Punter

The Jacksonville Jaguars really made some fans upset with their third-round pick on Friday night. One player was even appalled so much that he sent out a tweet.

Zach Potter, who is a third-string tight end for Jacksonville, took to his Twitter and sent his displeasue to the masses. Potter finished the 2011-12 season with only 50 yards on five catches with the Jags.

Check out the tweet below.

2012 NFL Mock Draft

The first round of the 2012 NFL Draft is barely over a week away, and speculation continues to run rampant as to who will be picked where.
In fact, the only picks that are certain right now are Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III at No. 1 and No. 2, respectively. Every other pick is fair game, with very few media outlets agreeing on who will go next.
The following are my projections for the first round of the draft.
1. Indianapolis Colts - Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford
This one is a no-brainer. Luck is the best quarterback prospect since who knows when, and there couldn't be a player more fitted to succeed Peyton Manning in Indianapolis.
It will take him a while to win, but once he does, he will do it for a long, long time.

2. Washington Redskins (from St. Louis Rams) - Robert Griffin III, QB, Baylor
There may not be a more exciting prospect in this year's draft class. Think of Cam Newton, except more polished.
Griffin will likely be one of the top contenders for the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, and he could have a better rookie season than Luck.

3. Minnesota Vikings - Matt Kalil, OT, USC
Minnesota could go with a receiver at this pick, but to be honest, neither Justin Blackmon nor Michael Floyd is worth the third overall pick.
Their best bet is to draft a franchise left tackle in Kalil to protect their franchise quarterback, Christian Ponder. While it isn't the sexiest pick, it is the best pick for the Vikings.

4. Cleveland Browns - Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama
There has been quite a bit of talk as to what Cleveland will do with this pick, but if they draft anyone other than Richardson, it will prove that the franchise is in complete disarray.
A running back like Richardson doesn't come around every year. He has the ability to be an offensive juggernaut in Cleveland for years to come.

5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Morris Claiborne, CB, LSU
After bringing in some major free agents on the offensive side of the ball (see: Vincent Jackson, Carl Nicks), the Buccaneers will address their defense with the best cornerback in this class.
Claiborne will be the eventual replacement of Ronde Barber, if he ever decides to retire.

6. St. Louis Rams (from Washington Redskins) - Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma State
The truth is that drafting Blackmon here is overdrafting him. However, no other pick makes sense for the Rams.
They desperately need a top receiver for Sam Bradford, and while Blackmon may not be "elite" in any way, he is good enough to provide a big boost to the Rams offense.

7. Jacksonville Jaguars - Melvin Ingram, DE/OLB, South Carolina
Quinton Coples of UNC is a potential pick here, but I think that as we get closer to the draft, Coples could drop due to the lack of motivation he showed during the 2011 season.
Ingram might not be as pure of a pass-rusher as Coples, but he still fills a major need for the Jaguars with the seventh pick. He also has the upside to turn into one of the top defensive players in this draft.

8. Miami Dolphins - Ryan Tannehill, QB, Texas A&M

Darren Carroll/Getty Images

I don't really think the Dolphins have a choice with this pick. Trading back is an option, but if they do that, they could miss out on Tannehill and that is not an option.
While Tannehill isn't as polished as Luck or Griffin, he is an extremely intriguing prospect who has all the tools you could ever want in a franchise quarterback.

9. Carolina Panthers - Fletcher Cox, DE/DT, Mississippi State
Cox is quietly moving up draft boards in recent weeks as people are starting to realize that his game tape matches his impressive workout sessions.
Cox is a more polished prospect than either Michael Brockers or Dontari Poe, and his versatility would be an extremely valuable asset to the improving Panthers.

10. Buffalo Bills - Michael Floyd, WR, Notre Dame
Buffalo fans will be extremely excited to see Floyd drop to them at No. 10. In my opinion, he is the best overall receiver in this draft.
Floyd will pair with Stevie Johnson to give the Bills one of the best one-two punches at receiver in the entire NFL. With Floyd, the Bills greatly improve their chances at contending in the AFC East.

11. Kansas City Chiefs - David DeCastro, OG, Stanford
The Chiefs could address defense with this pick, and Luke Kuechly is still on the board.
However, with a chance to make a real run at the playoffs this year, I think they draft the best player available, which is DeCastro. He will likely be an All-Pro player early in his career.

12. Seattle Seahawks - Luke Kuechly, ILB, Boston College
When you combine Kuechly's athleticism with his instincts, you have the makings of a perennial Pro Bowl player.
He will be the favorite to win Defensive Rookie of the Year, and could even end up in the Pro Bowl as a rookie. Kuechly is simply that good.

13. Arizona Cardinals - Riley Reiff, OT, Iowa
Even after re-signing Levi Brown and bringing in Adam Snyder, the Cardinals still need major help along their offensive line.
Reiff is talented enough to start from day one at right tackle, and will eventually take over on the left side.

14. Dallas Cowboys - Mark Barron, SS, Alabama
Before signing Brandon Carr, the Cowboys would have likely drafted a cornerback with this pick. However, they still have holes in their secondary, and a player like Barron makes the most sense for this team.
Barron may not be a "center field" safety, but he is a huge hitter who will instantly improve the Cowboys' run defense from day one. Barron has the potential to develop into one of the better safeties in the league with time.

15. Philadelphia Eagles - Quinton Coples, DE, UNC

Geoff Burke/Getty Images

Coples' draft-day slide may be surprising, but it will be an answered prayer for the Eagles. There simply isn't a better pure pass-rusher available this year than Coples.
With Coples on the roster, the Eagles will have some interesting options with players like Cullen Jenkins and Jason Babin. The defensive line could eventually turn into the best in the league.

16. New York Jets - Courtney Upshaw, OLB, Alabama
Upshaw is the ideal player for Rex Ryan and the Jets.
He brings 110 percent to every snap, and has enough ability against the run and as a pass-rusher to be an extremely valuable asset to this team moving forward.

17. Cincinnati Bengals (from Oakland Raiders) - Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama
After losing Johnathan Joseph to the Houston Texans last season, the Bengals absolutely need to find a replacement in this draft.
Even with cornerback being the deepest position available this year, I think the Bengals will use one of their first-round picks on one. Kirkpatrick has the physical tools and abilities to be drafted way before this, and him falling this far is the perfect scenario for Cincinnati.

18. San Diego Chargers - Stephon Gilmore, CB, South Carolina
While the Chargers could definitely address outside linebacker with this pick, I just don't see a player at that position worth taking at this pick.
However, San Diego will still address their defense by taking Gilmore. While Gilmore is still a little raw, he has an extremely high ceiling and is absolutely worth taking in the first round.

19. Chicago Bears - Jonathan Martin, OT, Stanford
By trading for Brandon Marshall, the Bears addressed their biggest need before the draft. While taking a receiver like Kendall Wright or Stephen Hill is still a possibility with this pick, I see the Bears addressing their offensive line instead.
Chicago's line is still one of the worst in the league, and Martin has the potential to become a quality starter in a short amount of time. Teaming him with Gabe Carimi will give the Bears one of the best young tackle duos in the league.

20. Tennessee Titans - Dontari Poe, DT, Memphis
Poe was recently considered a lock for the top 10, but there are just too many questions concerning his production on the field. No player will see a bigger slide on draft day than Poe.
However, the Titans will take a chance on a player who has the potential to turn into a player like Haloti Ngata of the Baltimore Ravens. It may be a year or two before Poe fully develops, but if he reaches his full potential, this will be the steal of the draft.

21. Cincinnati Bengals - Cordy Glenn, OG, Georgia
Cincinnati will take a hard look at Kendall Wright with this pick, but I believe they will ultimately decide that protecting Andy Dalton is more important.
Plus, Cincinnati will still be able to find a solid second option at receiver later in the draft. A player like Glenn who can start from day one is definitely worth this draft pick.

22. Cleveland Browns (from Atlanta Falcons) - Kendall Wright, WR, Baylor
Cleveland's biggest need in this draft is to find a receiver to help in the development of Colt McCoy.
A prospect like Wright has the natural talent to be drafted much higher than this, but no teams ahead of the Browns need to draft a receiver this early. That's just fine with Cleveland, as Wright will enter the 2012 season as the No. 1 receiver on the team's roster.

23. Detroit Lions - Janoris Jenkins, CB, North Alabama
In a division with Jay Cutler and Aaron Rodgers, the Lions need to improve their secondary.
While Jenkins is certainly a risky pick because of his character issues, there are many who believe that heis the best cover cornerback available in the draft. He has the potential to turn into a shutdown cornerback like Darrelle Revis.

24. Pittsburgh Steelers - Dont'a Hightower, ILB, Alabama
Hightower is exactly the type of player that the Steelers love on their roster.
He's a player with a great motor who leaves it all on the field. While he isn't a "plus" prospect in any aspect of the game, he is good enough to start from day one and have a productive NFL career.

25. Denver Broncos - Michael Brockers, DT, LSU
Brockers is another player who people are becoming less and less fascinated with as we get closer to the draft.
However, his upside will be too good for the Broncos to pass on. Already with a young and talented defense, the Broncos will add a player who can contribute against the run right away.
He will take time to develop, but he could also be one of the better players taken in this draft.

26. Houston Texans - Mike Adams, OT, Ohio State
Receiver is an option here for the Texans, as they have been trying to find a No. 2 receiver to put next to Andre Johnson for a long time. The problem is that they will be able to find that receiver in the second or third round.
With the loss of Eric Winston in the offseason, the Texans have a major hole at right tackle. While Adams needs to get stronger, he is large and athletic enough to make an impact on the offensive line from day one.

27. New England Patriots (from New Orleans Saints) - Shea McClellin, OLB, Boise State

Doug Pensinger/Getty Images

McClellin has been climbing up draft boards as of late, and the Patriots would love to snatch him with this pick.
He is a good enough pass-rusher right now to make an immediate impact, and should help fill the void left by the departed Mark Anderson.

28. Green Bay Packers - Nick Perry, OLB, USC
There is no doubt that the Packers' biggest need is at outside linebacker, and having an athletic pass-rusher like Perry fall to them is ideal.
Perry reminds me of a rawer version of Clay Matthews, and teaming him with Matthews could fix many of the defensive problems that Green Bay had last year.

29. Baltimore Ravens - Mychal Kendricks, ILB, California
Kendricks is a newer name to most first-round mock drafts in recent weeks, but he is the perfect fit for the Ravens at this spot.
With Ray Lewis running out of time in the NFL, Baltimore needs to find his eventual replacement. While there is still room for Kendricks to grow, he already knows how to find the ball and hit with violence.
With his aggressive style of play, Kendricks could draw a lot of comparisons to a young Lewis.

30. San Francisco 49ers - Amini Silatolu, OG, Midwestern State
As a small-school prospect, getting drafted in the first round should prove just how talented this kid really is.
In fact, Wes Bunting of National Football Post has Silatolu ranked as the third-best offensive guard. Silatolu will be able to come in from day one and replace the departed Adam Snyder on the offensive line.

31. New England Patriots - Harrison Smith, SS, Notre Dame
Secondary was a huge issue for the Patriots during the 2011 season, so if they don't trade back with this pick, picking either a cornerback or safety is the right move.
Smith is a football player through and through. You watch him on the field and you just know that this kid is going to be a valuable asset to a team in the future.

32. New York Giants - Coby Fleener, TE, Stanford
As one of the best teams in the league heading into the draft, the Giants can go with the "best player available" mentality with the last pick in the first round.
Fleener is by far the most talented tight end in his year's draft class, and is the type of receiver that will make an instant impact on offense. Adding another weapon for Eli Manning will only make the Giants a bigger favorite to get back to the Super Bowl.

Capitals vs Bruins Heading to 7th Game

In thrilling fashion, the Boston Bruins have forced a Game 7 in their opening-round playoff series against the Washington Capitals.
Boston looked poised to win this one 3-2 on Sunday evening, but Alexander Ovechkin had different thoughts. He scored a neutralizer with less than five minutes to go, and this elimination game was sent to overtime.
Less than four minutes into the extra session Tyler Seguin scored the game winner to extend the Bruins' season.

This was an exciting and well-played, back-and-forth contest. The teams traded goals on their way to overtime. It has been a great series and it is fitting they are headed toward a Game 7.by richard langford

Tebow booed At Yankee Stadium

Tim Tebow has work to do if he's going to win over New York sports fans
The new backup quarterback for the Jets was booed at Yankee Stadium on Sunday night when he was shown on the giant video board — even though he was wearing a Yankees cap.
Sitting in the third row next to the Los Angeles Angels dugout, Tebow cracked a smile and acknowledged the camera. There was a smattering of cheers, but most of the initial reactions were boos.
Tebow was acquired by the New York Jets from Denver in a much-hyped trade last month. He is expected to back up starter Mark Sanchez, even though Tebow rallied the Broncos to the NFL playoffs last season and became a polarizing sensation in the process.
''I didn't get a chance to see him,'' Yankees manager Joe Girardi said after his team's 11-5 victory. ''I would have loved to get a chance to see him and talk to him. I'm sure he'll be back at some point. Obviously he's going to be around a lot more now. But I'd love to visit with him at some point.''
Sitting next to Tebow was Miami Heat star Dwyane Wade, also booed when he was shown on the scoreboard earlier in the game. But those boos quickly turned to cheers when Wade held up his Yankees cap.ap press source

Kings Take 3-0 Lead in Series

The Los Angeles Kings are now up three games to none in a playoff series for the first time in franchise history after Jonathan Quick stopped all 41 shots in a white-knuckled 1-0 win over the Vancouver Canucks on Sunday night at Staples Center. Dustin Brown eased some of the tension when he converted the rebound of a Justin Williams shot 6:30 into the third period after being left unmarked deep in the offensive zone.

While the goal was his fourth of a playoff series that has defined the high mark of his Kings captaincy, it was a punishing shoulder-to-shoulder hit leveled on Vancouver's Henrik Sedin in the second period that served notice of Los Angeles' refusal to back down against the defending Western Conference champions in a physical first-round series.

That, and it'll be on team highlight reels for years to come.

"It sparked our energy," Brown said of the huge hit. "We didn't play as well as we could have in the first period and it was just one of those games that is kind of in between for everyone involved. I think it gave us a lot of energy."

Wobbly after the hit but able to return quickly, Sedin had a Game 3 that seemed to represent the trouble he's had solving the Kings' suffocating defense. He finished with one shot on goal, no hits, no blocked shots, was 5 for 18 in the faceoff circle and clearly is missing the dynamic chemistry long established with his twin brother, Daniel, who missed his third consecutive game due to a concussion and did not fly to Los Angeles.

"We played one hell of a game tonight," Henrik Sedin said. "On the 5-on-5 we were all over them. The power play was better. If we keep playing like this, we are going to score goals."

With only one playoff series win since their run to the Stanley Cup Finals in 1993 — a 2001 six-game upset of Detroit in the first round — the S.S. Lombardi is entering uncharted waters.

"You've got to go through situations where you don't have success to learn what you did wrong," defenseman Willie Mitchell said at Sunday's morning skate. "The defining moments within a series you have to find a way to get through and be successful. So that hasn't happened here. I think we've added pieces over the last couple years that have been through that a little bit, and that's going to help this time around. So we look to do that, and we're going to have to do that against the best team in the NHL over the course of the regular season, so it's going to be a tough hurdle for us. But we like the challenge."

It's not only the prospect of postseason success that is relatively new for the Kings. Quick turned in the finest performance by a goaltender in club history in a regular season in which he notched 35 wins, posted a 1.95 goals-against average and .929 save percentage and led the NHL with 10 shutouts. With his second career postseason shutout on Sunday, he finally has given the organization a consistently strong presence in net and the ability to win games on his own.

Other than late season and playoff valiance by Felix Potvin in 2001, the Kings generally have won playoff games by relying on offense. With Gretzky, Los Angeles lost playoff series in the early 1990's to goalies Bill Ranford (three times), Mike Vernon and Patrick Roy.

With Quick in the fold, plus a deep one-through-six defensive corps, a perfect storm in the back end is brewing.

"Guys sacrificing all over the ice and making sure [pucks] weren't getting through," Quick said of the team-wide defensive performance. "They've been doing it all year and they did a great job tonight. That's something that everybody expects out of each other and it's something they've done really well."

While everything seems to be coming up silver and black, it still takes four games to win a playoff series, and Los Angeles won't be expecting anything other than the strongest effort Vancouver can throw at them Wednesday night.

"The roughest part of winning is…the first game, then the second game gets tougher and the third game gets tougher and the fourth game gets tougher," coach Darryl Sutter said.

UK Top Kansas 67-59, Win Eighth National Title

NEW ORLEANS (AP) - No matter where Anthony Davis and his buddies go to make their millions, their ol' Kentucky home will long remember this championship season.
The Wildcats hit the jackpot with their lottery picks Monday night, ignoring Davis' bad shooting night and parlaying a roster full of NBA talent into a 67-59 victory over Kansas for the team's eighth national title - and its first since 1998.
The one-and-doners did it in a wire-to-wire victory - a little dicey at the end - to cap a season in which anything less than bringing a title back to the Bluegrass State would have been a downer. They led coach John Calipari to his first title in four trips to the Final Four with three different schools.
"This is not about me. This is about these 13 players," Calipari said. "This is about the Big Blue Nation."
Doron Lamb, a sophomore with first-round-draft-pick possibilities, led the Wildcats (38-2) with 22 points, including back-to-back 3-pointers that put them up by 16 with 10 minutes left.
The Jayhawks (32-7), kings of the comeback all season, fought to the finish and trimmed that deficit to five with 1:37 left. But Kentucky made five free throws down the stretch to seal the win.
Davis' fellow lottery prospect, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, was another headliner, creating space for himself to score all 11 of his points in the first half.
Davis, meanwhile, might have had the most dominating six-point night in the history of college basketball, earning the nod as the most outstanding player. He finished with 16 rebounds, six blocks, five assists and three steals - and made his only field goal with 5:13 left in the game. It was a surefire illustration of how the 6-foot-10 freshman can exert his will on a game even on a rare night when the shot isn't falling.
"Well, it's not me, it's these guys behind me," Davis said after his 1-for-10 performance. "They led us this whole tournament. This whole game I was struggling offensively, and I told my team, every time down, you all score the ball; I'm just gonna defend and rebound."
So much easier when you've got teammates like this. Davis is the likely first pick in the draft should he choose to come out, and Kidd-Gilchrist won't be far behind. Another first-round prospect, freshman Marquis Teague, had 14 points. And yet another, sophomore Terrence Jones, had nine points, seven rebounds and two of Kentucky's 11 blocked shots.
"We've got a lot of great players on this team,"' Teague said. "Other players stepped up and made plays. He had confidence in us to make plays and that's what we tried to do."
Kansas also has a lottery pick in AP All-American Thomas Robinson. But he was harassed all night by Davis and Jones and finished with 18 points and 17 rebounds on a 6-for-17 shooting night.
The Jayhawks won the "B" League this year, as Calipari avenged a final-game loss to Bill Self back in 2008 when Cal was coaching the Tigers. Not a bad season in Lawrence, though, considering where KU began.
Kansas lost four of its top five scorers off last year's roster. There were times early in the season when Self and his old buddy and mentor, Larry Brown, would stand around at practices and wonder if this was a team that could even make the tournament. It did. Won its eighth straight conference title, too.
None of this, however, was for the faint of heart. The Jayhawks trailed by double digits in three of their five tournament games leading to the final and played every game down to the wire. They fell behind by 18 late in the first half of this one and this time, there was no big comeback to be made; not against these guys.
"We came up short, but I don't think we lost. I think they just beat us," Self said.
Davis realized early this was no shoot-first night for him at the Superdome. Sporting his near-unibrow, which the UK Wildcat mascot also decided to paste on, he endured the worst shooting night of a short college career in which he makes 64 percent. No big deal. He set the tone early on defense, swatting Robinson's shot twice, grabbing rebounds, making pretty bounce passes for assists.
Early in the second half, he made a steal that also could have been an assist, knocking the ball out of Robinson's hands and directly to Jones, who dunked for a 46-30 lead.
Then, finally. With 5:13 left in the game, he spotted up for a 15-foot jumper from the baseline that swished for a 59-44 lead, putting a dagger in one of Kansas' many comebacks.
"He was terrific," Self said. "The basket he made was one of the biggest baskets of the game."
The crowd, a little more full of Kentucky fans than Kansas, went crazy. If this guy only stays one year and only makes one shot, they're fine with that.
It's the new normal at Kentucky, where Adolph Rupp set a standard, Rick Pitino lived up to it for a while, then Calipari - hardly the buttoned-down type - was hired to bring back the glory.
He goes for the best player, no matter what their long-term goals.
Normally, the prospect of losing all those players in one swoop would have people thinking about a tough rebuilding year.
But Cal has mastered the art of rebuilding on the fly.
He's the coach who brings in the John Walls, Brandon Knights and Derrick Roses (at Memphis) for cups of coffee, lets them sharpen up their resumes, then happily says goodbye when it becomes obvious there's nothing left for them to do in school.
Last year, the formula resulted in a trip to the Final Four that ended with a crushing loss to Connecticut in the semifinals.
This year, Davis and Kidd-Gilchrist came to Lexington with big-time bona-fides, and they didn't disappoint. Kentucky lost only twice all season - once on a buzzer-beater at Indiana, the second time last month in the SEC tournament title game to Vanderbilt.
The Vandy loss might have been, as Calipari put it, just what the doctor ordered for a team that could sometimes border on arrogance.
They rebounded nicely for the real tournament, and through it all, the coach refused to apologize for the way he recruits or how he runs his program. Just playing by the rules as they're set up, he says, even if he doesn't totally agree with them. Because he refuses to promise minutes or shots to any recruit and demands teamwork out of all of them, he says he comes by these players honestly.
He has produced nine first-round picks in the last four drafts with a few more coming. This latest group will have an NCAA title in tow and the everlasting love of a fan base that bleeds basketball.

"I don't know of any team that has sacrificed for each other like this team and they deserve this moment, they really do," Calipari said.