5-at-10: Friday mailbag with an SEC draft, 1980s star launchers and slow learners

Gang, great week all around. As always feel free to comment on any of the below items and we'll check back throughout the day.

From the "Talks too much" studios, let's follow Dallie's plea and do it for Johnny. Stay gold Pony Boy.

From TennFlyer said...

Can you dust off the SEC draft that you did in the middle of last season and do one before the season starts? Same rules, worst record first, alternate between east and west, no team can lose more than three players.

TennFlyer

Excellent question, and of course we're game. We love the SEC and we love the draft - you know this - so of course we're up for the challenge.

OK, going in order of worst to first, with every league player in the pool and remembering that eligibility counts - true sophomores who have two years left have intrinsic more value than guys who have only one season remaining - here is how a re-shuffled SEC-only redraft goes.

photo Georgia running back Todd Gurley (3) runs against Georgia Southern.

1) Kentucky - Todd Gurley, Georgia RB. Dude is a beast. And he has two more years.

2) Auburn - Tempting to take TJ Yeldon, but the history is too great. Tempting also to take some of the young recruits, but here's saying Gus Malzahn would roll the dice and snag Johnny Football. And here's saying the rest of the SEC would have a tough time with Manziel driving the Gus Bus.

3) Tennessee - Butch Jones and Co. slammed their fist on the table in the war room after Auburn scooped up Johnny Hangover. So the Vols grab Alabama RB TJ Yeldon. It's win-win. Two years of having Yeldon; and two years of not having to stop Yeldon.

4) Arkansas - Bret Bielema has options. Looking around the league and embracing his run-first approach, he's tempted by the slew of skilled players. He takes the easy way and snags Jadeveon Clowney.

5) Missouri -- Gary Pinkel makes a sly move and takes Amari Cooper. Well-played indeed, Mr. Pinkel.

6) Ole Miss - Hugh Freeze drafts Robert Nkemdieche, his own five-star freshman defensive end. The entire Grove takes a shot to celebrate.

7) Vandy - Knowing he's one more eight-win season from being the hottest name in coaching, James Franklin addresses his QB vacancy. Aaron Murray welcome to Nashville.

8) Miss State - Testifying to the strides Vandy has made, a Commodore is picked in the top 10 when Miss. State takes receiver Jordan Matthews.

9) South Carolina - Ever the sly one, The Ole Ball Coach grabs last year's super-prospect in Missouri's Dorial Green Beckham.

10) Texas A&M - Now in need of a QB, the Aggie snag AJ McCarron from Alabama. So in this SEC draft, three Alabama players go in the top 10, and none of them are defensive players and none of them are Cyrus Kouandjio. That's talent folks.

11) Florida - The Gators take Keith Marshall, Georgia's second-string running back.

12) LSU - John Chavis sprints to the podium and drafts Georgia outside linebacker Jordan Jenkins only to learn that Georgia's three-player limit has been met. Cam Cameron is quite pleased to add Mike Evans, the sophomore A&M wide receiver.

13) Georgia - Mark Richt also was eyeing Mike Evans. He was not eyeing J.J. Evans - "Dy-NO-mite" - so he calls a quick audible and addresses his secondary concerns with Craig Loston, the hammer-hitting LSU safety.

14) Alabama - Nick Saban, relishing the chance to nab a high-quality recruit and torment Auburn takes Carl Lawson, the Tigers five-star true freshman defensive end. Stupid process.

We'll be back later with round two. Thoughts about who the best remaining players on the board are?

From Chas 9

Can Teddy Bridgewater win the Heisman?

9er -

Absolutely Bridgewater can win the Heisman. In fact after his surgical destruction of Florida in the Sugar Bowl, we think Teddy Ballgame is one of the three favorites.

Here's our top three: Bridewater, Johnny Hangover and AJ McCarron.

Here's Vegas' top frontrunners:

photo Johnny Manziel

Johnny Manziel 9/2

Braxton Miller 13/2

A.J. McCarron 9/1

T.J. Yeldon 9/1

Aaron Murray 12/1

Teddy Bridgewater 12/1

De'Anthony Thomas 14/1

Duke Johnson 14/1

Jadeveon Clowney 14/1

Marquis Lee 14/1

From Believer

I saw the thing you published earlier this week about the Beer Institute - you go North Dakota - and one of posters put that B.I. should have a football team. I like that.

What other "colleges" should have a football team?

Thanks for the 5-at-10 and what's the best way to listen to Press Row online?

Believer,

The best way to listen to Press Row is through espnchattanooga.com. There should be a listen live link there. If you want to send questions via email (jgreeson@timesfreepress.com) or Twitter (@jgreesontfp) feel free.

Wow, schools that should have a football team. Well, the Atlanta Bartending College is out. (But they'd throw a hoss tailgate, no?)

OK, the University of Phoenix is No. 1. They already have a boss facility that has hosted a Super Bowl for crying out loud. Plus, the mascot is a given. Ladies and Gentleman, the University of Phoenix Phoenix.

The School of Hard Knocks sounds like an old-school football power. We also think High Tech would have some innovations that could help the game.

Anyone got any others?

From New Kid

You obviously like 80s movies. So, my buddies and I need you to settle this debate. The question is if you had all of the 1980s and had to pick one movie that had the most stars, what's your pick?

I'm thinking St. Elmo's Fire, but I want to hear your answer. (My friends have Breakfast Club and Red Dawn, but we have agreed that you are the deciding vote.)

Thanks for the 5at10 - we read it every day and discuss it over lunch.

New Kid -

Thanks for the kind words and the question. Yes we've seen a few 1980s movies.

Excellent question, and as far as sheer numbers of your choices, we'd pick St. Elmo's Fire from the list of your three (with Red Dawn coming in two and Breakfast Club at No. 3).

That said, as far as landing future stars the two monsters in this discussion are Fast Times at Ridgemont High (yes, Anthony Edwards and a young Nick Cage makes appearances) and the overall winner - The Outsiders.

Yep, The Outsiders, with Swayze, Rob Lowe, Matt Dillion, Emilio Estevez, Macchio, C. Thomas Howell and a young Tom Cruise. Never mind Diane Lane (calm down Spy) and Leif Garrett.

From John Proctor

Greetings Master Jayster:

photo Tennessee quarterback Tyler Bray looks for a receiver.

Who (Which?) is the slower learner, Tyler Bray or Johnny Manziel? Both have million dollar arms and ten cent brains but it seems to me that Bray's falling out of the draft, as much for his off the field activities as anything else, would be a lesson to Johnny Football, assuming he has enough brains to see Bray's example and learn from it.

Feel free to discard this question if I haven't stated it in an understandable manner or for any other reason.

28 days and counting,

John Proctor -

We're not at 27 days for the Mocs kickoff.

We think Tyler Bray is a much, Much, MUCH slower learner. Dude was an SEC starter for the better part of three years and still was throwing beer bottles at parked cars as an upperclassman.

Johnny Football was thrust into the limelight overnight, and his adjustment has been less than smooth. It happens. (Side question: Wonder what would have happened if Cam Newton had returned to Auburn for his senior year? Now that's a great question.)

If Tyler Bray grows up, he'll be a successful NFL starting quarterback. (Here's where guys like Jaws would say he has 'arm talent' which is a stupid phrase... would you say a pitcher has arm talent or just talent? Goof Balls.) Do we think he'll grow up? Not really. And we kind of have the same view of Johnny Hangover.

Discuss and or all of the above and enjoy the weekend.

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