Centrists

For the past three years at the University of Florida, Riley Cooper has been a favorite target of Gator Nation’s favorite son, QB Tim Tebow. Cooper, working out in Gainesville, Fla., before the 2010 draft, talked to Sporting News’ Vinnie Iyer about his rare size/speed combination, his good rapport with Tebow and why he likes to stay outdoors when not playing football.
 

Riley Cooper says he’d return to his special teams roots to stick in the NFL.

Sporting News: You have pretty good speed to go along with your 6-3, 233-pound frame. How would describe the strengths of your game?
Riley Cooper: I think I’m fast, with my big body. A lot of my game is boxing out and being physical, which helps me against bump-and-run coverage. I am good at running to the ball.
 
SN: Does that make you suited for a particular style of offense?
RC: I can fit into any team’s system, really, every style of offense on the outside. I’m seen as an X- and Z-type receiver. I’m also used to getting a lot of work in the red zone, where I can go up and get the ball.
 
SN: Who are some of the receivers you’ve looked up to and tried to emulate?
RC: I’ve always liked other physical receivers, namely Brandon Marshall and Larry Fitzgerald. They’re right there at 230, 225 pounds. One guy I liked before injuries slowed him down was Michael Clayton of the Buccaneers. He knew how to play the game physically and had some great hands.
 
SN: How much do you think your dedication to special teams will help in the NFL?
RC: That’s how I got on the field early at Florida, running down on coverage, returning kicks as a freshman and sophomore. With a 53-man roster (in the NFL), I’ll work to make it, even if I’m not playing a lot of wide receiver at first.
 
SN: How does the experience of having being already drafted — in baseball — help you with the NFL’s pre-draft process?
RC: It definitely helps that I’ve had the chance to be drafted twice, once out of high school by the Phillies and more recently, the Rangers. The processes are a lot different. Baseball is quiet, not as much hands on. In football, there are lot of visits and workouts.
 
SN: How did you choose Florida after growing up in Oklahoma City?
RC: Honestly, I didn’t really watch much college football. I wanted to find the right style offense, then with coach (Urban) Meyer showing his interest, and told me that I could play on special teams and be a No. 3 or 4 wide receiver right away. I’m still close enough to home where my family never misses a game.

SN: How was it like being Tebow’s roommate?
RC: He has great trust in me, and we have a bond that you would expect that comes from being around each other almost 24-7 during football season. That trust really showed up on the field and how we worked together on pass routes. If I have a chance to compete with him on the same team in the NFL, it would be neat. Just having him as my quarterback and knowing him so well has been a good experience.

SN: What do you and Tebow offer an NFL team, beyond physical skills?
RC: We both have a great work ethic, and we both want to get on the field, even if we start on special teams or kick returns. We want to contribute in some way to help our team win every game.

SN: What did you learn from all that success at Florida?
RC: We were always prepared with a great game plan, and you wanted to compete hard in (Meyer’s) offense. When he recruits you, you come in with a winning attitude. I really hate losing. That’s why it’s hard in baseball — even when you’re among the best, you still fail seven out of 10 times. I can’t stand that feeling.

SN: What do you like to do off the field?
RC: I like to spend most of my time outdoors, hunting and fishing. I hate being inside and just watching TV. When I get a chance to relax, I love being on the beach.
 
SN: When you’re finished with football, what would like people to say about your career?
RC: I would like to be known as someone who is hard-working, loves the game, always going at 100 miles per hour and never takes a play off.

A quick look at the ramifications of the Donovan McNabb trade on the April 22 NFL draft:

McNabb trade means Sam Bradford more likely than ever to be heading to St. Louis.

• St. Louis Rams. Many people around the league had expected Washington to make a big attempt at trading up from the No. 4 spot to the Rams’ No. 1 spot to take Oklahoma QB Sam Bradford. The only other teams that might consider such a move — Seattle and Buffalo — aren’t as likely to pay the price and thus the Rams probably are stuck in the top spot.

• Bradford. Rumors have been swirling for weeks that Bradford wouldn’t be willing to sign a contract before the draft — although he refuted such notions last week. With no other team in the picture, the Rams now have more leverage in negotiations, too. Unless an unknown team steps forward and blows away the Rams with a trade offer, Bradford will sign with the Rams in the hours before the draft.

• Jimmy Clausen. Although we always doubted Redskins coach Mike Shanahan’s reported interest in Clausen at No. 4 — thinking it was simply a negotiating ploy with the Rams — Clausen certainly isn’t going to Washington now. If the Bills don’t take Clausen at No. 9, he could be in for a Brady Quinn-like freefall in the first round.

• Tim Tebow. Many NFL personnel men figured that if Bradford and Clausen were selected in the top 10 then Tebow could be the pick of a team in the 20s. If the Bills pass on Clausen and he drops into the 20s, that could bump Tebow back to the second round.

• Detroit Lions. When the Redskins were rumored to be drafting a QB, many thought the Lions could trade down below the Redskins and still get one of the top two offensive tackles. After picking up McNabb, the Redskins almost certainly will select a left tackle at No. 4 to protect his blind side. If Detroit is locked into one of two offensive tackles, the club almost certainly has to stay put at No. 2 and take their pick or take a big gamble in trading down.

• Seattle Seahawks. Before the McNabb trade, the Seahawks at No. 6 were in good position to get one of the top two offensive tackles. Now, they might have to settle for the third-best guy on their draft board unless they trade up.

• Buffalo Bills. The Bills could be the big winners of the McNabb trade. First, it means they should have the option to take Clausen at No. 9. If that’s the player new GM Buddy Nix identifies as the team’s QB of the future, he’d have great leverage to get Clausen signed while on the clock April 22. Reason being, Clausen and his agent would know he could drop 10-20 more spots down the first round if the Bills pass on him.

For more than 640 player scouting reports from Lande and his team of former NFL scouts — plus an updated Mock Draft, Super 99 rankings and more — go to warroom.sportingnews.com.

On Easter Sunday, the NFL world was rocked by its first major trade of 2010. The Philadelphia Eagles traded quarterback Donovan McNabb to the rival Washington Redskins for a pair of draft picks.

Eagles coach Andy Reid joined Mike and Mike in the Morning on ESPN Radio to talk about the trade and the Eagles’ future. To listen to Reid on Mike and Mike in the Morning, go to Sports Radio Interviews.

Philadelphia Eagles coach Andy Reid says trading Donovan McNabb to the Washington Redskins will work out for everyone involved.

Why did the Eagles trade McNabb?

Reid: I was sitting there with three quarterbacks in the last year of their contract. I sat back and listened to the different offers that came in. I thought that this was the best offer and the best situation for the Philadelphia Eagles and for Donovan.

Did Reid want to trade McNabb?

Reid: I have the final say on the whole thing there Mike, so yes. You know how this business goes. There is a business side and a personal side. I knew I was going to be in this situation. I didn’t know it would be Donovan that would be traded, but I knew I would be offered something and had to do something. It ended up being Donovan with a pretty good deal for the Philadelphia Eagles. It’s also a good deal for Washington and it’s a good deal for Donovan. It’s a good situation for him.

What are Reid’s thoughts on trading with Washington, a divisional rival?

Reid: I didn’t concentrate as much on Washington as I did the Philadelphia Eagles. I have to do what I think is best for our football team. When you get into a negotiation, that’s the way you think. Do you take into consideration a bit that it’s Washington? OK, you might think about it a little bit. But number one, you are thinking about your football team and what you need to do to become even a better football team. That’s part of this business. I have heard you say that several times. That’s part of the game.

We’re trying to make ourselves better. We felt this is the best way to do it and we pulled the trigger there. This was the best deal for all parties.

What was it like telling McNabb about the trade?

Reid: It was tough. That’s not an easy thing to do. When you have been together for eleven years, you develop this bond. That’s how it is.

Is it an emotional thing? Yeah, it’s an emotional thing. But you move on. I know he is going to have success – hopefully not for two games during the year – but I know he is going to have success. And I know we are going to have success.

It’s going to work out, I believe, fine. I am not good at predicting the future, but it will work out fine. And life moves on. That’s how both of us kind of looked at it.

What does Reid expect from quarterback Kevin Kolb in 2010?

Reid: Obviously, we have confidence in Kevin to be able to do what we did here. We also have confidence in Michael Vick. We still have a tremendous situation at that position.

The thing that we have seen in Kevin is leadership. He is a smart kid. Not that it matters, but he is a coach’s kid and grew up around the sport. He’s got a nice control of the offense. He has good enough arm strength and he is a good enough athlete to make this thing work. And he was able to be tutored by Donovan. He got to see how it’s done and done right. That has helped his maturation process move forward here.

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A look back at the best and worst picks of the draft a dozen years ago:

Steals

Randy Moss made the 20 teams that passed on him in 1998 pay for it.

Randy Moss, WR, Marshall
Vikings: Round 1, Pick 21

Despite starring as a touchdown machine for the Thundering Herd and having the talent to dominate in the NFL — as he’s since proved — Moss’ checkered past off the field rose a red flag for newly character-concerned teams, including Dallas. Minnesota’s gain was immediate, as Moss exploded as a rookie for the then highest-scoring offense in NFL history, until his record-breaking ’07 with New England.

London Fletcher, LB, John Carroll
Rams: Undrafted

So much for coming out of a small school with a small frame (5-10, 245) — his big heart became apparent in his second season as a young leader for the Super Bowl 34 champions. He has remained one of the league’s steadiest middle linebackers over the past decade, while racking up tackles and big plays for St. Louis, Buffalo and Washington.

Jeff Saturday, C, North Carolina
Colts: Undrafted

When Indianapolis drafted Peyton Manning first overall in ’98, it needed someone with the same football acumen to snap the ball to him, block right in front of him and make the line calls. Even though Saturday never heard his name called, it’s hard to imagine anyone else in that role.

Hines Ward, WR, Georgia
Steelers: Round 3, Pick 92

He turned out to be the ultimate Pittsburgh pick: a versatile skill player with great physical and mental toughness. The Steelers were able to get Ward after wide receivers such as Brian Alford, E.G. Green, Jammi German and Larry Shannon went ahead of him in the round.

Matt Hasselbeck, QB, Boston College
Packers: Round 6, Pick 187

Mike Holmgren showed that he had a good eye to find a sleeper quarterback who fit his offense and would be a fine young backup for Brett Favre. Three years later, Holmgren would acquire Hasselbeck in Seattle, and in 2005-06 the coach and quarterback led the Seahawks to Super Bowl 40.

Ryan Leaf, the No. 2 pick by the Chargers in 1998, is the quintessential draft bust.

Stinkers

Ryan Leaf, QB, Washington State
Chargers: Round 1, Pick 2

Few other players have become synonymous with the word "bust." Think of the outstanding career that Peyton Manning has had as the NFL’s white knight. In contrast, what happened to Leaf both on and off the field is a black hole.

Andre Wadsworth, DE, Florida State
Cardinals: Round 1, Pick 3

This is the kind of draft pick the once-lowly Cards would consistently make. Just like that, Wadsworth went from a surefire dominant pass rusher to a messy holdout and a career quickly cut short by knee injuries.

Curtis Enis, RB, Penn State
Bears: Round 1, Pick 5

Three years earlier it was Rashaan Salaam, and seven years later it was Cedric Benson, but this is the Bears’ biggest backfield whiff. Enis put in three years of unimpressive production before deciding to retire because of knee woes in 2001.

Jason Peter, DT, Nebraska
Panthers: Round 1, Pick 14

Peter had a good start to his NFL career, but because of neck and shoulder problems, it ended after four years. Unfortunately, while battling injuries, he became dependent on painkillers and needed to eventually fight back from crack and heroin addictions.

Marcus Nash, WR, Tennessee
Broncos: Round 1, Pick 30

For Denver, Nash caught only four passes before being traded for the player drafted just ahead of him, Dolphins running back John Avery. He didn’t end up playing for Miami, but he found a home in the XFL before becoming a bona fide star in the Arena Football League.

Vinnie Iyer is a writer for Sporting News. E-mail him at viyer@sportingnews.com.

ProFootballTalk.com’s Mike Florio weighs in on the Donovan McNabb trade:

1. The pressure is on the Eagles. Two years ago, the Green Bay Packers were willing to send quarterback Brett Favre to any team outside the NFC North. Indeed, the Packers’ desire to avoid facing Favre prompted Green Bay to include a provision in its trade terms to the Jets that jacked up the compensation to three first-round picks if New York then shipped him to the Bears, Vikings or Lions.

The Eagles had no such fear with McNabb. They handed him to the Redskins for a second-round pick in 2010 and either a third-round pick or a fourth-round pick in 2011, and they won’t be looking back.

Philly is willing to face Donovan McNabb twice a year, at the risk of being passed by the Redskins.

They won’t have to look back. They’ll see McNabb twice per year. And the real concern should come from whether they ever see him while looking up.

Though plenty of Philly fans were ready to see him get shipped out of town, few will be forgiving if McNabb and the Redskins finish ahead of the Eagles in the standings — or if McNabb and the Redskins advance deeper than the Eagles into the postseason.

And if McNabb gets his fingerprints on a Lombardi Trophy, the pitchforks and torches crowd will dismantle the NovaCare Complex, brick by brick.

So the pressure is on the Eagles, like few teams have ever faced.

2. As in the Jay Cutler deal, the winner came out of nowhere. I’ve been pushing for more than a week the news that teams other than the Raiders, Bills and Rams had been talking to the Eagles, but that those teams wanted to keep their interest in McNabb tightly under wraps. I also firmly believed that, like last year’s trade of Jay Cutler, the quarterback’s new team wouldn’t be a team that anyone was thinking about.

And that’s precisely what happened. Despite those reports that the Raiders were the front-runners, the Redskins pulled the trigger.

Ironically, the Redskins were the team in 2009 most likely to get Cutler. They didn’t; now they’ve got McNabb.

3. The Eagles didn’t want Albert Haynesworth. In the wake of Saturday’s report by Fox’s Jay Glazer that the Redskins had been talking to the Eagles about McNabb, rumors emerged that the Redskins had been willing to send the defensive tackle and safety LaRon Landry to Philly.

Though it’s unclear whether Haynesworth ever was officially offered, a league source told me Sunday night that the Eagles didn’t want him.

If Haynesworth was indeed dangled as part of the McNabb trade, it means that Haynesworth could be available in other possible deals. And that would make sense. Haynesworth has been a major disappointment, and real concerns exist regarding the manner in which he’ll fit — or, more accurately, won’t fit — with the new regime.

4. Eagles-Redskins needs to invade prime time in Week 1. When the NFL delayed the annual announcement of the Week 1 prime-time games and the trio of Thanksgiving contests, some speculated that the uncertain status of two Pennsylvania quarterbacks — Ben Roethlisberger and Donovan McNabb — were forcing the delay.

Now that McNabb has joined the Redskins, the ideal matchup for Week 1 prime time is Philly-Washington.

Unfortunately for ESPN, the NFL already has committed the early Monday night game to the Jets. That leaves Sunday night, on NBC, as the ideal landing spot for McNabb’s first game against the franchise with which he spent 11 seasons.

5. Will this be just a one-year stay? One of the biggest questions the Redskins will face is whether McNabb will stay for a year, or whether he’ll be signed to a long-term extension.

Then there’s the open question regarding whether the franchise tag will be available in 2011, given that the labor agreement expires in March.

Regardless of whether the Redskins would be able to keep McNabb from leaving after only one season, it’s likely that the Redskins — buoyed by the deep pockets of owner Dan Snyder — will get a deal done. After all, the Redskins didn’t make their typical cannonball into the free-agent pool. That money saved can be used to keep McNabb for the next four or five years.

6. Is McNabb’s next stop St. Louis? The McNabb trade comes at a time when the Redskins were kicking tires on a trio of possible first-round quarterbacks: Sam Bradford, Jimmy Clausen, and Colt McCoy. The initial reaction? It was all a ruse.

But was it? With the Rams apparently unwilling to give up the first pick in the second round of the draft for McNabb, would St. Louis be willing to take him and the fourth pick in Round 1 for the No. 1 overall selection?

Under this theory, the Redskins would use McNabb as the ammunition to get in position to draft Bradford. Given the glowing comments that coach Mike Shanahan made about McNabb on Sunday night, it’s highly unlikely. But given that the Redskins have been throwing a string of curveballs ever since Shanahan and GM Bruce Allen arrived, nothing can be ruled out.

7. Jason Campbell, meet the trading the block. With McNabb in, Jason Campbell undoubtedly is out.

And the Redskins should be able to get something of value for the restricted free agent. Last year, Campbell had a higher completion percentage (64.5) than McNabb (60.3), in essentially the same passing attack. Campbell accomplished that feat despite playing behind an inferior offensive line.

The obvious candidates include the teams that had been openly linked to McNabb, like the Bills and the Raiders.

8. Bruce Allen is the early favorite for Executive of the Year. Though Mike Shanahan has the real juice in D.C., someone is setting the table. And that someone is doing a pretty good job.

For starters, Allen persuaded Snyder to resist his big-spending nature in a depressed free-agent market. Then, Allen scooped up some decent values, like Larry Johnson and Willie Parker.

Along the way, Allen renegotiated the big-dollar contracts of Haynesworth and cornerback DeAngelo Hall, taking advantage of the rules of the uncapped year and planning for the likely return of the salary cap.

Getting McNabb for a second-round round pick and a conditional choice in 2011 becomes the coup de grace. In a quarterback’s league, having an elite one makes a team an instant contender. Thus, the Redskins instantly are contenders in their division, and in their conference.

9. A new contract is coming for Kevin Kolb. McNabb’s departure means Kolb will be the new starter in Philly. Those seeds were planted three years ago, when the Eagles traded out of Round 1 with the Cowboys and took Kolb at the top of Round 2.

The transition to Kolb became inevitable when he became the first quarterback in league history to throw for more than 300 yards in his first two starts.

The next step for Kolb? A contract that will pay him a large pile of money to be "the guy" for the next six or seven years. Per a league source, the Eagles have not yet spoken to Kolb about a deal that would replace his current contract, which expires after the 2010 season. But, surely, it’s coming soon.

And then, when the soon-to-be 26-year-old is on the wrong side of 30, the Eagles will likely line up the next young quarterback to eventually take the reins.

10. Suddenly, the Eagles need Mike Vick. With McNabb gone, Vick suddenly becomes the primary backup in Philadelphia. Given that injuries forced McNabb to miss 17 games in the last five years, that there’s a decent chance we’ll see Vick in a role other than part-time gimmick.

It also means that Vick has a shot at winning the job outright, if he can light it up during offseason workouts and training camp and if Kolb struggles as the presumed starter.

Either way, it’s good for Vick. He wasn’t going to be installed automatically as the starter with any team this year. As a result, the best place he could be is right where he currently is, as the primary backup — at worst — to Kolb.

Mike Florio writes and edits ProFootballTalk.com and is a regular contributor to Sporting News. Check out PFT for up-to-the minute NFL news.

Reactions to Sunday’s trade of Donovan McNabb to the Washington Redskins:

"Anyone selling a house in Washington?" — McNabb, via Twitter

"We thought this was the best for Donovan and the compensation was right. We surely took into consideration Donovan’s feelings." — Eagles coach Andy Reid

"Donovan is an accomplished quarterback who has been a proven winner in the National Football League. I have long admired his competitiveness and feel he will be an outstanding addition to the Redskins and our community. He knows our division and the roadmap to success in the NFC East." — Redskins coach Mike Shanahan, in a statement

"I’m really excited about my future with the Washington Redskins. I’m eager to work with coach (Mike) Shanahan. He’s been a very successful coach with a couple of Super Bowl victories on his resume. White it has been my goal to win a Super Bowl in Philadelphia, we came up short. I enjoyed my 11 years, and we know we shared a lot more good times than bad." — McNabb, in a statement

"Donovan knows how to win football games. The Redskins’ confidence level has to be going through the roof right now." — Former Eagles QB Ron Jaworski, now an ESPN analyst

"Welcome to our newest teammate to D.C. Really excited about what Coach (Mike) Shanahan and (general manager) Bruce Allen are doing to help us compete for a championship." — Redskins cornerback DeAngelo Hall, via Twitter

"That’s one thing that definitely caught me off-guard was him staying in the division and being able to face him twice a year. I know when it’s time for us to play him, he’ll go out there and give it his best shot to go out there and beat us." — Eagles wide receiver DeSean Jackson, to ESPN

"In his voice I heard a lot of enthusiasm. And you know, he may not be exactly like me, but I could hear he had a little revenge in that voice, too. And he wants to go to the Eagles and show them that they made a mistake. … He’s very excited. He said ‘It’s time to play ball, cuz.’ Then he said that the Eagles had been trying to dog him, but the Redskins got involved and they made the move." — Former Redskins running back Brian Mitchell, after speaking to McNabb, to Comcast SportsNet

"Are (the Redskins) a better team with Donovan? Absolutely. But again, we’ll be there a couple Sundays with them and we’ll see. Kevin (Kolb) now needs to go prove that and be Kevin Kolb and not Donovan McNabb. He needs to make his own mark and be his own man there. That is something that will be a great challenge for him." — Reid

"Donovan McNabb was more than a franchise quarterback for this team. He truly embodied all of the attributes of a great quarterback and of a great person. He has been an excellent representative of this organization and the entire National Football League both on and off the field. I look forward to honoring him as one of the greatest Eagles of all-time and hopefully see him enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton one day." — Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie, in a statement

"McNabb’s been a great quarterback for a long time. I’m just happy he’s able to move on and we’re able to move and we know what to look for now. … Everybody on the team has been talking about, talking about — the three quarterbacks were the topic of conversation." —Jackson, to ESPN

"This was a very tough decision. Donovan McNabb represented everything a football player could be during his 11 seasons in Philadelphia. He carried this organization to new heights and set a high standard of excellence both on and off the field. We thank him for everything he did for this football team and for this city." — Reid

"There’s a lot to look forward to. Kolb is in a great situation, to be this young and have a great opportunity with the team we have. I’m just ready to move on and get things going. … I see (Kolb) with a lot of potential and am excited." — Jackson, to ESPN

"He’s a proven winner. Looking at Mike Shanahan, he knows the success he had with John Elway in John’s later years. His last two years, he wins two Super Bowls, and I think he’s looking at that same possibility with Donovan McNabb. Although Donovan is not the guy that will run around as he did as a young kid, he’s still very mobile. So I think instantly this offense gets credibility, they can go and try to bring some people in to help him, and the receiver corps he has here is probably better than what he’s ever had [in Philadelphia] up until they got DeSean Jackson up there. … I think it’s a major steal and it’s a great day for the Redskins….I think the Philadelphia Eagles made a major mistake by letting him get away." — Mitchell, to Comcast SportsNet

"Donovan is the ultimate professional. He has an incredible work ethic and has been an integral part of our success. Over the years, Donovan has always carried himself with a great deal of dignity. He’s an excellent role model for young men and women from across the region. In my mind, he’ll always be remembered as one of the greatest Eagles of all time." — Eagles president Joe Banner, in a statement
 
"My respect for the Redskins is at an all time (post Joe Gibbs glory days) high. I believe again. Can’t wait to see how it all unfolds." –Former Redskins cornerback Darrell Green, via Twitter
 
"Great for him. Must be a relief for d to play in a city that wants him." — Emmitt Smith, via Twitter
 
"the mcnabb trade just shows u it doesnt matter how much u have done for a franchise when they are done with u they are done" — Cardinals safety Kerry Rhodes via Twitter
 
"Does adding mcnabb to portis johnson and Parker make washington The team to beat in the NFC east?" — Jerry Rice, via Twitter
 
"Welcome our newest teammate to DC. Really Excited about what Coach Shanahan and Mr. Allen are doing to help us compete for a Championship!"  —Hall, via twitter
 
"McNabb got traded to the Redskins?! and they have to face him twice a yr..nt smart philly" — Saints tight end Jeremy Shockey, via Twitter