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At long last, the NFL Draft is finally here!  Football Nation has you covered like nobody else.  Here's what we have in store over the next three days:

We're LIVE from Radio City!
FN's Bill Enright will be live from Radio City, sitting in media row amongst the team tables on the auditorium floor.  His job will be to live blog during the first round, and who knows what kind of mischief he'll get himself into.  Earlier in the day, he'll be at NFL Headquarters on Park Avenue attending a Q&A with Commish Roger Goodell. 

We're LIVE on SiriusXM Radio!
When SiriusXM Fantasy Sports Radio needs NFL Draft analysis, they turn to Football Nation!  FN's Todd DeVries and Bill Enright will host a two-hour NFL Draft Special tonight from 11:00pm to 1:00am ET to break down the 1st round.  During the 2nd and 3rd rounds on Friday, Todd will co-host live coverage of the picks with SiriusXM's Jon Hansen from 7:00-10:00pm ET.  On Saturday, Bill and Todd reunite from 4:00-6:00pm ET to wrap things up.  Scheduled radio guests include ESPN's Chris Spielman, CHFF's Kerry Byrne, and a handful of FN rock star contributors. Be sure to tune in - channels 87/210! 

1st Round LIVE Blogging!
In addition to Bill painting the picture from inside Radio City, FN will be live blogging instant analysis of each first round pick.  We also have FN contributors on call to report on any breaking news that goes down. Follow the picks and trades as they flow in here on the site and via Twitter. 

Tweets, Tweets, and more Tweets!
Be sure to follow us @FballNation! 

Instant Analysis of each 1st Round Pick
For a more in-depth breakdown of each draft pick, our beat reporters will be offering up their insights of their team's selection shortly after they are announced. Good pick?  Bad pick?  Should they have traded up or out?  They'll give you the no-holds-barred skinny.

Draft Grades, Winners & Losers, Best Available, Fantasy Impact
FN's army of writers will provide post-draft analysis from ever angle imaginable.  Who are the best available prospects heading into Round 2?  Which rookies will make an immediate fantasy impact?  Which teams came out of the chaos as the big winners/losers?  What was the biggest bonehead pick of the draft?  You get the idea.


To get you ramped up for tonight, be sure to check out our latest podcasts and draft content.  Some of the highlights:

* FN NFL Draft Page - all draft, all the time!

* Podcasts with Peter King, SI.com's Stewart Mandel, Ourlads scout Dan Shonka, and Dave Dameshek.

* The official FN Definitive Mock Draft and Ultimate Draft Board.

* The Citizens of FN Mock Draft -- with 29 different FN "General Managers" calling the shots:
  - Picks 1-8
  - Picks 9-16
  - Picks 17-24
  - Picks 25-32
  - Winners & Losers
  - Draft Grades

With spring football nearing its end, several storylines have developed on the college fantasy football front. Here's a rundown of the latest headlines.
 
 
Baylor
News: RB Lache Seastrunk looks like the real deal.
CFG Analysis: The Oregon transfer looked great in the Baylor spring game, totaling 138 yards and a score on the ground in only seven carries. He does not have anything sown up yet, but could be in store for a big season if given the opportunity. The ceiling is very, very high with this speedster.

Baylor
News: QB Nick Florence shows he’s no slouch
CFG Analysis: While he may never be mistaken for RGIII, Florence showed that he can fill the stat sheet also with 183 yards and three scores in the Bears spring game. With three quality wide outs to throw to this season, Florence has the parts around him to be successful on the fantasy level.

Western Kentucky
News: RB Antonio Andrews separates from the pack
CFG Analysis: The competition to replace Bobby Rainey in the Western Kentucky backfield may have come to screeching halt after their spring game. Antonio Andrews exploded with 121 yards rushing and 67 yards receiving. Coach Willie Taggart has been know to ride one guy, so Andrews could have a great opportunity to become a fantasy factor in 2012.

Arkansas
News: QB Tyler Wilson on target all spring.
CFG Analysis: Wilson continued his torrid spring with 467 yards passing and three scores in the Hog’s spring game. It looks like Wilson will post big numbers this season sans Bobby Petrino. He could easily be a #1 fantasy QB in most formats this season.

Notre Dame Quarterback. Those three little words carry a lot of weight. It's one of the most pressure packed jobs in the country. Gunner Kiel? Everett Golson? Andrew Hendrix? Can't be Tommy Rees again, can it? Brian Kelly has a big decision to make moving forward and he was hoping the Blue-Gold game would provide a little clarity. 

Well... it did and it didn't. In my opinion, Golson looked the best by far going 11 of 15 for 120 yards, two touchdowns and zero interceptions. I was most impressed with how incredibly poised and patient he was in the pocket as I didn't see that coming at all. He has a cannon of an arm and limited mistakes quite well. His lone turnover came off of a broken play when the snap hit Riddick as he was motioning across the formation. Moving on, my problem with Rees was the same problem I had with him last year, you know what you are going to get. You'll get a few flashes, some crippling turnovers and a lot of bad reads. Brian Kelly has to move past Rees and start building for the future but we'll see how it plays out. Hendrix looked solid at times and confused at others. His lone touchdown pass came off of a busted coverage. Yes, I would rather have Hendrix than Rees, but I wouldn't be "comfortable" with him by any stretch of the imagination. The pass that Ishaq Williams intercepted was a perfect example of his inability to read zones. Finally, we get to highly touted freshman Gunner Kiel. Kiel throws a beautiful ball, he's physically imposing and is more mobile than he gets credit for. He got the second half treatment, giving me further evidence that Kelly will decide to redshirt him this season.

What would I do? That's a far different question than what I think Kelly will do. I expect Kelly to name Golson the starter with Rees as the backup. However, if a situation arose that resulted in Golson missing significant time, look for Hendrix to take over the reins. That leaves Kiel to receive a redshirt. As for me, I would play it different. Kiel is the future. Yes, if you don't start Golson, you run a significant risk of losing him. At this point, Kelly needs to roll the dice. The 2012 schedule is brutal and a serious BCS run will need to be made the following season. I would start Kiel from day one and let him learn. Rees would serve as the immediate backup and Hendrix as the true backup, assuming Golson chooses to play elsewhere. This really would hurt as I love Golson's package and have been campaigning for him to play since the day he arrived on campus. It leaves me extremely torn but if I were to choose between Golson or Kiel, I would lean towards Kiel. 

Don't get the wrong idea though, I am fine with Golson starting. As I tweeted on Saturday, if there were a game tomorrow, I would be most comfortable with Golson running the show. He is a special talent and if he plays the entire season he could put up some really special numbers. However, if that were to happen it would bring me back to my original question regarding Kiel... if not now, when?

Some other thoughts from Saturday...

- There's going to be plenty of depth at running back. Obviously, Cierre Wood will start and if he were in a situation where he received 25 to 30 carries a game he would make a run at the Heisman. That won't be the case as Theo Riddick is going to see more time in the backfield along with Amir Carlisle and George Atkinson III. Riddick looked very good on Saturday. He's put on about 20 pounds of muscle and it didn't seem to take anything away from his quickness. Look for Kelly to move Riddick all over the field and get him the ball in multiple ways. I was extremely impressed with George Atkinson III. Did he give anyone else Ryan Grant flashbacks? Good sized kid, able to take contact and a smooth runner. I said this last year, you have to find a way to get the ball in his hands. He's a home run threat every time the ball finds him.

- Athletes! When was the last time Notre Dame had such a huge stable of versatile athletes? Theo Riddick, Cierre Wood, Amir Carlisle, George Atkinson III, DaVaris Daniels, Davonte Neal... all top of the line athletes that can bust a huge play at any given time. To compete with the big boys, the field needs to be full of athletic playmakers and the Irish will be able to do that next season.

- The Irish offensive line looked fantastic and will only improve once Cave is fully healthy and ready to anchor the line again. They got great initial pushes most of the day and really gave the backs plenty of room to operate.

- The wide receiver situation went about how I expected it to. TJ Jones didn't play much as he's been guaranteed a starting spot. I've stated this before, he's a fantastic possession receiver but won't break as many big plays as Floyd had in years past. Davaris Daniels, however, is more than capable of racking up big gains. We saw a couple of big plays where his superb hands came into play and I expect to see more of that during the season. He is one of my breakout candidates for 2012 and I feel even better about that now. Robby Toma will also get his fair share of catches as he'll be used in the slot similar to how New England uses Wes Welker. He will allow Eifert and Daniels to clear space before settling into holes in the zone and picking up chunks after the catch. 

- As for the defense, a couple players in the secondary stood out to me. First of all, Jamoris Slaughter is a real special talent and will be huge to the defense this season. He can play some strong side linebacker, both safety positions and will probably see time at corner as well. Speaking of corners, Bennett Jackson didn't play in the game, which was disappointing. I've heard great things about Jackson this spring and I would be surprised if he didn't start at cornerback this fall. Another player that stood out to me was Lo Wood. I've praised Wood for his footwork and hands in the past and he showed more of that on Saturday. He also has a habit of looking for the ball when it's in the air allowing him to make plays on the jump balls we so often see in the college game, which is very nice to see from an Irish cornerback. 

- Finally, the front seven lived up to the hype even without Aaron Lynch. Stephon Tuitt, a behemoth of a man, looked dominant at times as did Louis Nix III. Both of them are extremely strong and will demand plenty of double teams this fall. Ishaq Williams also looked good at outside linebacker and I still expect him to start this season. He's ultra-athletic for a linebacker and continues to improve in pass coverage, making it easier for the Irish coaching staff to keep him on the field for all three downs. His biggest flaw at this point is actually his tackling. He's a big hitter but the problem is that he's well aware of that fact, sometimes opting for the bone-crushing hit rather than wrapping up. This is more of a habit problem than anything and will be remedied with more field time. The last member of the front seven I want to touch on is Kendall Moore. I continue to be very impressed by his instincts and ability to get off of blocks. If he can continue to trim down and add speed, explosiveness and quickness to his repertoire, he could be a force to be reckoned with. I continue to lobby for him to see more of the field. 

Well, that's it for me. What did everyone else think? Who stood out to you that I didn't mention? Did anyone disappoint you? Let me know in the comments section or you can find me on Twitter at the link below. 

Twitter: @oconnorkyle

Fayetteville, AR (Sports Network) - The University of Arkansas has hired John L. Smith as its head football coach.

Smith signed a 10-month letter of agreement with a compensation package of $850,000. Smith will also be eligible for performance and academic achievement incentives.

The 63-year-old Smith had spent the last three seasons as special teams coach for the Razorbacks. He was hired as the head coach at his alma mater, Weber State, last December.

"I am extremely pleased to welcome Coach John L. Smith back to the Razorback program as our new head football coach," director of athletics Jeff Long said. "Coach Smith brings a wealth of football knowledge, BCS conference head coaching experience, passion for the game and a close familiarity with the current team and coaching staff. I firmly believe that his selection is in the best interests of the young men in our program and will also best serve the mission of our football program and university in achieving success on and off the field in the upcoming season and in the long term."

Arkansas was in need of a head coach after getting rid of Bobby Petrino on April 10. Petrino was fired due to the aftermath of his motorcycle accident on April 1. A female employee of the Arkansas athletic department, Jessica Dorrell, was as a passenger on the motorcycle and it was later revealed that Petrino was having an affair with her.

Smith has had head coaching stints at Idaho, Utah State, Louisville, Michigan State and Weber State. He has produced a 132-86 overall record to go with six conference champions (two Conference USA, two Big West and two Big Sky).

"I am tremendously excited to have this special opportunity to return to Arkansas and lead the Razorback football program," Smith said. "During my coaching career, I have always been dedicated to developing student-athletes to their fullest potential. In the last couple of weeks, I came to the realization I could provide guidance and stability to a program I'm extremely invested in. While at Arkansas, we worked to make the Razorbacks a top 5 team and much of the credit for that goes to the student-athletes. Throughout the spring, the assistant coaches and student-athletes have shown incredible focus and character, which we will use to build on as we work to achieve our goals for 2012. I want to thank President (Donald) Bobbitt, Chancellor (David) Gearhart and Jeff Long for the trust they have shown in me."

Our friends over at CollegeFootballTalk.com did such a banner job of recapping all of the spring games around the country on Saturday (43 in all), that we decided to simply point you in their direction. 

We'll hash out all of the college fantasy football ramifications from these so-called "games" over the coming weeks. But for now, here are the recaps from CFT:

– Relieved Trojans get through spring game unscathed.

– Big Ten spring games wrap-up.

– Spring game officially launches post-Moore era at Boise State.

– Stanford headlines Pac-12 spring games wrap-up.

– SEC spring games wrap-up.

– ACC spring games wrap-up.

– Oklahoma goes beyond Belldozer package in spring game in this Big 12 wrap-up.

– Defense takes advantage of a (basically) Denard-less Michigan offense.

– Newcomers shine, McCarron struggles in Tide’s A-Day spring finale.

– Big East spring games wrap-up.

OU’s spring Red and White game is an annual chance for fans to catch a sneak peek at next year’s lineup. This year, even the blustery, stormy weather couldn’t keep the crowd’s spirits down, or keep the Sooners from showing off some great new talent!!
 
The Quarterback Pack
On the quarterback front, Oklahoma let all four of its QBs speak for themselves on the football field. #12 Landry Jones was solid, if a little lackluster, but the show was stolen by backups #10 Blake Bell, #15 Drew Allen, and #11 Kendall Thompson. Blake “The Belldozer” Bell, an unstoppable force last season when it came to running the ball, refrained from rushing and instead showed off his arm with some impressive and daring passing plays – including a beautiful 60 yard touchdown pass to Jaz Reynolds. He went 14-19 for 179 yards and 1 TD. Allen gave a solid performance as well, throwing 10-18 for 72 yards. My favorite surprise on the QB front, however, had to be the solid showing of the previously unseen Thompson, who threw 7-9 for 42 yards and a touchdown. He also showed a much needed (in my opinion) willingness to run the ball, and although he was never able to get up to speed, Thompson looks to have some fast feet on him. Although Landry and Bell probably have this season sewn up, keep an eye out for appearances by Allen and maybe Thompson during some of those mismatched games the Sooners are playing next season.
 
The OU Wide Receiver Hype
After seeing the performances by Saturday’s wide receiver crew, which included #17 Trey Metoyer (6-72), #4 Kenny Stills (2-20), #16 Jaz Reynolds (2-64), #2 Trey Franks (6-54), and #87 Derrick Bradley (1-10), I am completely ready to believe the rumors that this will be a fantastic season for Oklahoma and its wide receivers.
 
The biggest disappointment, in my opinion, was the lackluster performance by #4 Kenny Stills. Although there were no major gaffs, I personally was expecting a little bit of a show from the wide receiver with the hype and solid numbers from the 2011 season. He had a couple of noncommittal runs and drops, all of which may have only been due to the fact that this was only a scrimmage, but it was unimpressive nonetheless.
 
Stills’s performance may have been ignored even if it had been up to his usual standards, however. All eyes were on touted new WR #17 Trey Metoyer, who caught six passes for 72 yards. Metoyer demonstrated fantastic flexibility when it came to catching the ball – both across the middle as well as down the field – a skill that will come in handy when making those tricky completions during the regular season. His ability to catch the ball in pressure situations will no doubt take some of the completion pressure off QB Jones: knowing someone solid is going to be at the other end of his pass may be the reassurance Jones needs to get his red zone 4th-and-1 conversions up. 
 
Spring: a Season for Hope
So what will next season hold, as told by the Red and White game? A solid Jones-Bell quarterback pairing (especially with Bell’s newfound passing proficiency), a return in full force of OU’s relentless, no-break offense, and some amazing red zone catches by Oklahoma’s receivers. Also watch for Oklahoma to continue its efforts to improve its secondary.
 
If Oklahoma can get all of these pieces to come together, I can see an exciting and extremely promising season for the Sooners!! 

With spring football in full swing, several storylines are beginning to develop on the college fantasy football front. Here's a rundown of the latest headlines.

South Carolina
News: QB Connor Shaw bigger and stronger this spring
CFG Analysis: Shaw has put on 12 pounds and he has said that he is a lot stronger than a year ago. The added weight should serve him well with the number of rushing attempts he is likely to see this season. Consider Shaw a player who could easily out perform his ADP in this years fantasy drafts.

Colorado
News: WR Paul Richardson out for 2012 with ACL injury
CFG Analysis: Richardson showed flashes last season and could have been a “break out” type player this fall before this injury. This leaves the Buffs with very little in the cupboard at the wide out position.

Oregon
News: QB competition likely not to be settled anytime soon.
CFG Analysis: Both Bryan Bennett and Marcus Mariota have laid claim to the coveted starting QB job for the Ducks this spring. Conventional wisdom would say that Bennett should have the inside track at the position after being the #2 last season, but Chip Kelly is anything but conventional. The winner of this competition has a tremendous amount of fantasy value.

Stanford
News: No RBBC for Stanford this season.
CFG Analysis: Senior back Stepfan Taylor will be the main man in the Cardinal backfield after sharing carries last season with three other players. Taylor has topped 1100 yards rushing in each of the past two seasons, and could go over 1500 this year with an increased workload. He could be an elite fantasy option this fall.

Pittsburgh
News: RB Isaac Bennett carrying the load in spring ball.
CFG Analysis: Bennett has been on fire this spring with three runs of over 50 yards thus far. He is proving to be a terrific compliment to injured stud, Ray Graham. If Graham struggles to return from injury, look for Bennett to post more than respectable numbers. Bennett is looking like a great handcuff for Ray Graham owners in 2012.

Fresno State
News:  WR Jalen Saunders is leaving Fresno State.
CFG Analysis: Saunders is said to be unhappy with the new no-huddle, spread offense that Fresno will be running this season, and will transfer at the end of the school year. This is a big blow to fantasy wide receiver position as Saunders was likely a Top 10 option in most formats. Keep an eye out on where Saunders end up.

Wisconsin
News: New offensive coordinator using more two back sets
CFG Analysis: OC Matt Canada has been using some two-back sets in order to get both Montee Ball and James White on the field at the same time. Ball will get plenty of touches regardless, but this could easily cut into his production more than owners would like to see this season. The good news here is that the Badgers run the ball well enough to support two fantasy options in the backfield.

Ohio State
News: QB Braxton Miller a gem in Meyer’s eyes.
CFG Analysis: Miller has received high praise from coach Urban Meyer this spring and looks to be a perfect fit for Meyer’s high-powered offense. This kid is super athletic and could post some serious numbers for the Buckeyes this season. The upside is huge with Miller and could pay off in spades for his owners this year.

Clemson
News: All Sammy Watkins, all the time.
CFG Analysis: This super sophomore wide out could be even more involved in the offense in 2012. Watkins can do it all and now will also be returning punts for the Tigers this fall. He will be a Top 5 fantasy WR in all formats in 2012.

Temple
News: No Bernard Piece, no problem for the Owls.
CFG Analysis: RB Matt Brown is the next workhorse in the Temple backfield. Head Coach Steve Addazio intends on feeding the ball to Brown the ball 20 to 30 times per game in 2012. The way Temple runs the ball should allow Brown to go well over 1000 yards on the ground and likely hit double-digit scores.

Kansas
News: RB James Sims to miss three games for a DUI
CFG Analysis: Sims will have to sit out three games for his recent transgression. He has been the only bright spot for Kansas recently and could have been even better this season under Charlie Weiss. Stay away from Sims and all Jayhawks come draft day.