Bleacher Report - Articles by Nibeyu Yegezu

NFL Week 10: AFC Playoff Picture

Nibeyu Yegezu — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 05:46:01 -0500

Now that we're at the early midway point of the NFL season I wanted too take a look at the teams that at least for now are primed too play past December. As with every week their will be a Conference team, three teams that are ahead of their division, and two wild card teams. Also will be a highlighted team that I believe is on the outside looking in. I invite fans of AFC teams too check this picture every Friday to see where their teams are. Until next week, enjoy the games!

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NFL Week 8 AFC/NFC Playoff Ranking's and Contender's

Nibeyu Yegezu — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 07:23:39 -0500

32 teams in the NFL this season will be looking too make the final 12 AFC and NFC teams that comprise of the NFL playoffs. Two of those teams will earn a trip too Super Bowl 44 and only one will be able to call themselves "World Champions". In a way too track this race to the finish line I will be giving team by team playoff rankings each week and compare those rankings too the final playoff picture at the end of the 2009 season. Check too see where your team is every week and hopefully they'll be in the picture at the very end. For those whose teams will not be in the picture, I wish you an early Happy April!

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Bowling Green's Freddie Barnes: Week Seven's Most Impressive Player

Nibeyu Yegezu — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 04:34:40 -0400

A native of Chicago, Illinois, Sports Management major and senior Freddie Barnes stands at 6'2", 206 lbs. He helped his team Saturday win a come back 36-35 victory over Kent State with a spectacular performance of his own.

With the help of his QB Tyler Sheehan's, impressive 44-for-63, 505 yd, and 4 TD game, Freddie was able to score three of those TDs and haul in 22 receptions for 278 yards. His third TD accounted for 45 yards, as he weaved through four defenders, stiff-arming another on his way into the endz one, and helping the Falcons cut the lead to 35-30. QB Tyler Sheehan then won the game on his feet by running in a nine-yard TD with five seconds to go and helping the Falcons snap their 4 game losing streak.

Freddie Barnes's 22-reception and 278-yard performance on Saturday earned him a spot on ESPN's "First Take" on Wednesday morning, where he chatted with host and former Bowling Green alumn Jay Crawford.

There, he explained that the Falcons planned to, and did, take advantage of Kent State's "soft coverage." This was evident just by the 505 yards they put in the air versus only managing 43 yards on the ground. The Falcons outplayed the Golden Flashes in every major statistical category, and, most telling, held the ball for 15 minutes and 40 seconds longer then the Flashes did.

Freddie was looking forward to redeeming himself in a big way this week after dropping a key reception last week against Ohio, which could have won his team the game. Ironically, after his big performance, he explained on "First Take" that he was taken aback by the "ESPN attention" and "Helmet Sticker" he was awarded on ESPN's "College Football Live" show. This dual-threat QB in high school red-shirted in 2005 and was successful as a QB,RB, & WR combo in 2006. In 2007, he began his first year as a full-time receiver.

Freddie currently leads the nation with 75 receptions and 722 receiving yards per game. He has four games this year with double digit receptions while also being on pace to have 150 catches, which would shatter the single-season record of 142 set by Houston's Manny Hazard in 1989. Manny had plenty of help from the Cougars pass-friendly offense in '89, and with the Falcons continuing the same trend, Barnes certainly could pass that record.

As of now, Freddie is the MAC East Offensive Player of the week and is a nominee for the MAC Offensive Player of the Year award as well as the Biletnikoff Award, given to the nation's top wide receiver. With Freddie being a senior, it would be nice to see him at least take home one of these awards by season's end.

While a Heisman Trophy maybe far-fetched for him due to the mediocrity of the Mid-American Conference compared to bigger divisions in College Football, the reality of playing on Sundays next season might not seem so far away for Barnes.

NFL teams would love to have a guy who can bounce back from a demoralizing mistake the previous week and compete the way Barnes did on Saturday. Don't be too surprised if Freddie Barnes finds a spot on your favorite team in April 2010.

Watch Freddie Barnes and the Bowling Green Falcons travel to Indiana to take on the winless Ball State Cardinals on Saturday at 12:00 PM EDT.

Jahvid Best: College Football's Most Impressive Player in Week Three

Nibeyu Yegezu — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 22:25:19 -0400

There was a reported sighting of Superman this past Saturday afternoon in Minnesota.

Before you say to yourself that that's just absurd, and ask who this person I claim to be Superman is, allow me to point you in the direction of 5'10", 195 lb. junior California Golden Bears' tailback, Jahvid Best.

His best impersonation of the "Man of Steel" came Saturday against the Minnesota Gophers on the Bears opening drive, when he leaped into the end zone, capping off a 33-yard dash and blowing by defenders on his way there. The speed in which he ran with didn't even seem fair to the Gophers defense, as Best made them look like passengers at a train stop watching the train speed by.

The aforementioned leap by Best made him look as if he should have been wearing a cape while he dived in the air and, just for a moment in time, made him seem to be wearing an "S" on his chest.

Jahvid would not only display Superman qualities by making amazing plays, but he took on the role as well. Jahvid scored five rushing TDs, which were all of Cal's 35 points versus the Gophers, and he finished the game with 26 carries for 131 yards.

Remember, Cal has only won five times in their last 16 away games. The game was over when Best capped off a terrific day by racing to the corner of the end zone, scoring a two-yard TD and giving the Bears their 35-21 win.

In his early years, Jahvid attended Salesian High School in Richmond, CA, and in his senior season, he rushed for 3,325 yards and 48 TDs, making for two Bay Area single-season records.

In his 2008 sophmore season at Cal, he would rush for 311 yards against Washington, which is the most yards in a game by a Cal running back, and earn the second highest single-season rushing record with 1,580 yards (behind J.J. Arrington's 2,018 in 2004).

The successful season would also bring him the most all-purpose yards in a season, with 2,247 total yards, and 186 rushing yards in the Emerald Bowl, setting that bowl's record. On Saturday, his ability to amass records would continue with his five TDs, tying the school rushing record for a single game.

From Jahvid's true freshman year, when he was selected as the team's most valuable freshman and most valuable special teams player, it's very clear that he's been making leaps not only into end zones, but throughout his career with the Bears. His carry and rushing numbers have climbed dramatically from his freshman year as well, along with Best turning into a reliable receiving back.

No wonder talks of a legitimate Heisman run are surfacing.

Currently at ESPN, Jahvid is only behind Tim Tebow in the analysts' Heisman watch and, interestingly enough, one analyst has said about Jahvid Best, "If Best puts up impressive numbers against Oregon and USC, and Cal wins both games, he will erase the term 'dark horse' next to his candidacy."

With those two nationally televised games presenting challenges in the Golden Bears' young season, I couldn't agree more. Those two wins would not only help Best's case, but would put his team at 5-0, and what better way would there be to convince a very critical Bowl Committee that a possible big time Bowl is in your future?

Ultimately the deciding factor for a talented Cal to make serious strides this year and advance past another Emerald Bowl, as well as Jahvid still being considered a serious Heisman candidate by the end of the season, will be measured by their toughness on defense and ability to be physical with those teams who will try to expose their finesse style of offense.

Watch Jahvid Best and the California Golden Bears travel to Oregon to take on the Ducks at 3:30 p.m. EDT on ABC.

Tate Forcier: College Football's Most Impressive Player of Week Two

Nibeyu Yegezu — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 03:10:44 -0400

In Week Two of the young college football season I was very impressed with a young man named Robert Patrick "Tate" Forcier whose a true freshmen quarterback for the Michigan Wolverines.

Robert received the nickname "Tate" after the 7-year-old child prodigy Fred Tate in the 1991 movie Little Man Tate. Not familiar with the movie but I am glad he kept the name. The name Tate Forcier has too sound more entertaining than Robert or Patrick and to boot it has a warrior type of feel to it on the football field, don't you think?

Tate came from a football family with his two older brothers playing quarterback as well as his father. His oldest brother Jason played at Michigan behind Chad Henne in 2006 until transferring to Stanford in 2008, and I am sure to Tate's delight, finished his graduate studies at Michigan in 2009 while rooming with Tate.

The second youngest, Chris, currently plays for Furman University. Tate's dad played at San Diego City College and the University of San Diego.

With Tate being the smallest of his brothers his competitive nature had to start early and as a third-grader his Junior Pee Wee team was awarded a chance among four teams to compete in the National Pop Warner Football Championship at the Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, Florida. His team lost in the final round.

After middle school he was recruited by Matt Lienart's alma mater and football powerhouse Mater Dei High School. Not focusing on his studies kept him from playing and led him to bounce around a few schools until he settled in at Scripps Ranch High School in his hometown of San Diego.

There he really took notice of scouts by leading his team to the playoffs in his sophomore and junior seasons, finishing his junior season with a 77 percent passer rating.

This effort led Rivals.com to rank him as the most accurate passer in the nation and despite losing his semifinal playoff game he entered it as the nation's leader in passing yards. Entering his freshman year at Michigan he was considered one of the top dual-threat quarterback recruits of the 2009 class.

Now a days Tate is dashing past defenses on his way to scoring a 31-yard rushing touchdown against Notre Dame on Saturday leaving one backer on his knees as he sold a perfect play-action and gave him a nifty stutter step for good measure.

The impressive move by Tate left me wondering if the guy's feelings were hurt. As impressive as that was, the play which won Michigan the game was a five-yard TD pass to Gregg Mathews with 11 seconds left to rally the Wolverines over the Irish 38-34.

Among his two games Tate has thrown for 419 yds, 5 TDs, 1 INT, and has a passer rating of 161.69. Besides the unfortunate pick he is indeed showing his hailed accuracy and I imagine over time he should become an even more dangerous threat.

His seemingly poised QB awareness combined with his rushing skills which have helped him rush for 107 yards and 1 TD for the season, leads me to that conclusion. Rushing for 24 attempts in 2009 has Michigan utilizing those skills well but you have to wonder how long will it be before defense's begin to catch up?

Tate assured us on Saturday when he said, "I don't get nervous." Will there be a wide-eyed moment this season for this very talented but after all true freshman QB?

In this early season its hard to gage which talented defense's on the Wolverines schedule will present him problems but surely the usually stout teams like Ohio St. and Penn St. will do their best to expose him. At 6'1 188, Tate Forcier has certainly made a case for smaller talented quarterbacks like himself.

How bright is his future? With some added strength and height, along with throwing strikes in the air and nimble feet on the ground, could he be become a Tebow-like player in the future? Perhaps even better. These questions and more will be answered in due time.

Tate is a part of a promising 2009 Michigan recruiting class that was ranked eighth nationally by Rivals.com, coming off of a dismal three-win 2008 season. With a 2-0 start it looks like Rich Rodriguez has found his QB to lead a successful season. You have to certainly think that amongst the excitement, Michigan and their fans are hoping the force continues to be with them.

Watch Tate Forcier and the Wolverines take on Eastern Michigan Saturday at 12 noon ET on the Big 10 Network.

Joe McKnight: College Football's Most Impressive Player of Week One

Nibeyu Yegezu — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 03:47:17 -0400

Every week of the 2009 College Football season I will be profiling a player who impressed me the most from the week's action. Each week there will sure to be plenty of top performers who make great plays, but these particular players will be the ones that personally made me say "wow" in the process.

I am beginning the season with a spotlight on USC junior tailback Joe McKnight, whose 54-yard touchdown versus San Jose State on Saturday was sure to turn heads and leave mouths dropped as well.

With the aid of his stellar offensive line, McKnight took a left-side halfback toss from freshman quarterback Matt Barkley and zipped his way around four defenders while making them look silly before finally blowing past the rest of the defense and flipping his way into the end zone.

The Trojans put 354 yards on the ground against the Spartans. McKnight did fumble once early in the game as USC had a shaky start, but the Trojans later found their rhythm and wouldn't let up on the Spartans.

McKnight had a great game, but his inspiring touchdown run in particular reminded me of why he has been dubbed as the "next Reggie Bush" by the media and opposing coaches.

McKnight has amassed 197 carries, 1,344 yards, and seven touchdowns so far at USC, while Bush compiled 343 carries, 2,648 yards, and 22 scores by his junior season.

Coming out of high school, McKnight was even considered by analyst Jamie Newberg to be "the most exciting prospect the state of Louisiana has produced since Marshall Faulk."

At 6'1" and 190 pounds, McKnight seems taller and slimmer than a then-junior Bush (6'0", 200 pounds), but the similarities in running style are certainly there with McKnight, like Bush, not necessarily being a bruiser but showing why his agility and speed are so dangerous in the open field.

Sure, the numbers of the two vary greatly, but if McKnight gets most of the carries this season, he should finish his career at USC as the Trojans' leading rusher and possibly obtain a Heisman as well. Before his 2008 sophomore season, he was listed by Sports Illustrated as one of its top 10 Heisman Trophy contenders.

He was unfortunately ridden with injuries that season, but his 14-carry, 145-yard, two-touchdown performance on Saturday showed me a McKnight that granted the pushover defense of San Jose State is hungry for a breakout season. With a solid O-line, a formidable running attack, and a true freshman quarterback behind center, he should be able to surpass his first 1,000-yard rushing season in 2009.

Watch Joe McKnight and the No. 4 USC Trojans travel to Columbus, Ohio, to take on the No. 4 Ohio State Buckeyes Saturday night at 8:00 p.m. ET on ESPN.

Kobe vs Lebron: The Debate Seems Over, at Least for Now

Nibeyu Yegezu — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 06:06:03 -0400

As a 22 year-old guy soon to be 23 I can not think of two players in the NBA who are debated over and compared with one another in my generation more than Kobe Bryant and LeBron James.

I honestly feel privileged too even have such great stars battle for who should be considered the best NBA player currently and possibly considered the greatest NBA player too play the game by future generations.

As of now the debate between LeBron James and Kobe Bryant in my mind at least has seemed too screech to a stop.

With Kobe Bryant winning a title as well as MVP honors and LeBron James falling short in the Eastern Conference Finals but coming away with an MVP honor for the season, you could say that Kobe Bryant has dwarfed LeBron's accomplishments when you look at the here and now but there is no denying that James is itching for a championship and probably feels as if he's only a step away.

Unfortunately the same pleading for better players that Kobe was successful with hasn't exactly worked in the same manner for Lebron James.

In 2007 LeBron James and the Cavaliers reached the NBA Finals too play a very tough San Antonio team and seemed as if they brought their own very formidable team to match-up with the Spurs but just couldn't quite take care of a battle tested Spurs team who finished the regular season with a 45-6 record.

Meanwhile after many disappointing attempts at reaching the Finals, Kobe Bryant and the Lakers faced a revamped Boston Celtics team a year later in 2008.

This was thier first time reaching the Finals since 2002 and many have blamed their lack of success too the trade of ONeal with the Heat in 2004 for Caron Butler, Lamar Odom, Brian Grant, and a future first-round draft pick.

Lamar Odom would emerge from this trade as a key wing man for Kobe and Bryant would later be awarded with his present key squad members of Trevor Ariza, Sasha Vujacic, Andrew Bynum, their offensive conductor Derek Fisher, and Paul Gasol who has become a very productive center piece offensively and is no slacker defensively either.

All these players with the exception of Bynum who was slated to be an all star center but only has been vastly improving as of late, have helped Kobe greatly on his journey to capture another title since he enjoyed back to back championships with his partner in crime Shaquille O'Neal in 2001 and 2002.

Fortunately after rumblings of Kobe leaving the Lakers he was given Pau Gasol in 2007 and the rest is history. The move by the Lakers now almost leaves some Lakers fans asking, Who was Shaq again? Serve's Shaq right for messing with Kobe.

LeBron James hasn't been fortunate enough to land a big piece such as Shaq but his team has done well enough none the less with their own recent key addition in Moe Williams who has provided the team a great lift as well as others over the years who have seemed to complete the puzzle for now.

Can another piece get them over the hump or is the team ready for a title now? The Cavaliers have been perennial playoff contenders since the hiring of now Coach of the Year honoree Mike Brown in 2005.

He led the Cavs to their first playoff berth since the 1998 season and hasn't allowed his team to miss the playoffs since. Lebron automatically became named the savior when drafted first overall in 2003 by a franchise who desperately needed one and had run into some lean years before his arrival.

In 1996 Kobe Bryant entered the League to play with the Lakers and lucky for him the Lakers also brought along ONeal through free agency. The Lakers had success but not until Phil Jackson came into the picture in 1999 did they go on to capture a three-peat in his first three seasons.

So now that I've brought you up to speed I'll further my question from before. Could a key piece such as Shaq himself be the missing answer? Even though my first name means prophet I never have been one to fortune tell so I'll let the PTI guys debate that one for now.

Now while Kobe did not receive an MVP title until the 2007-2008 season he did earn his first All-Star spot two seasons after his arrival in the NBA as well as did LeBron within his first two seasons.

While LeBron is chasing his accomplishments the more playoff tested Kobe Bryant has won his fourth title plus an NBA Finals MVP award and all after a previous NBA MVP season. This irony between the MVPer's reminds me of a little brother and big brother scenario with Kobe proving this year that if it wasn't known before he is the much bigger brother.

In my opinion this scenario will continue until Kobe Bryant can mention his name among the other great Hall of Famer's because at this pace he is certainly headed there. There is a notion out there that Kobe is some "ball hog" and since his assist numbers from this past season were ranked 37th in the NBA that name calling seems justified.

When a player with Kobe's caliber scores at will and gives defenses nightmares on the court, is that derogatory term within the basketball world really justified? It isn't any more for Kobe Bryant as he showed us all why he wanted a Gasol so badly.

More than just stats, Kobe and LeBron have showed me athleticism that is often beyond belief and a knack to fight for their team when it really counts.

Despite the accusations of being blessed with superstar players, Phil Jackson's Zen-like abilities as a coach are undeniable and Kobe certainly owes his ring to him as I believe if LeBron is patient enough will to another very good but certainly soon to be incredible coach in Mike Brown someday.

The athleticism of the two have excited us in different ways with Kobe's cunning way of moving like a snake as he strikes his victims with a deadly shot or dunk and Lebron's ferocious way of clearing his path to the lane with a monstrous dunk of his own and as of late even a heroic game-winning shot or two.

The elder Kobe says to LeBron, "man I've been making those shots for years, nice to see you've caught up!"

In all seriousness the 24 year-old LeBron has improved aspect's of his game such as his shot greatly in recent years but the old soul of 30 year-old Kobe always just seems a step ahead.

It has definitely been a privilege too watch these two entertain us so well and kids of the '90s should be privileged too have been a "witness" too LeBron's arrival in the NBA.

His decision too accompany Kobe Bryant in the NBA has of late, turned into one of the best no relation sibling rivalries among great talent's we could have asked for. Those Nike MVP Puppets wouldn't have it any other way.

AFC North Round 1 Draft Preview: Bengals, Browns, Ravens, Steelers

Nibeyu Yegezu — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 22:26:23 -0400

The Bengals lost Stacey Andrews to the Eagles and as much as his impact was important last season they still finished 29th in the league in rushing. Although RB or WR could also be an option here I feel it would be wise for the Bengals to begin the process of restoring their offensive line in the first round with the selection of AP first team All-American, Michael Oher with the 6th pick. I believe with the recent news that Michael Crabtree should be ready to go from his foot injury for training camp in July, the St. Louis Rams at pick number 2 look like a buyer with the recent release of Tory Holt. Of Oher it has been said that his techniques needed at his position have impressed scouts greatly and his maturity level could allow him to follow in the steps of other rookie offensive tackle's such as Jake Long who started right away and showed success in the NFL. Im sure Ocho Cinco and the "who dey" gang, would be happy not to finish at the bottom in the league in passing next season due to a poor offensive line once again.

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Pat White Is an NFL Quarterback

Nibeyu Yegezu — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 07:48:25 -0500

In what was arguably the best bowl game of the season in college football, West Virginia escaped North Carolina with a 31-30 victory to capture the Meineke Car Care Bowl in Charlotte, NC and spoiled the Tar Heel fans' home game.

Senior quarterback Pat White threw a 20-yard touchdown pass too Alric Arnett mid-way through the fourth quarter and the victory was sealed for the Mountaineers by a Pat Lazear interception.

White eclipsed his previous highest passing yards of 222 yards against Louisville in 2006 with an astonishing 332 yards setting a career high and completing 26 of 32 passes as well as adding three touchdowns too the cause. His greatest final accomplishments as a senior were winning MVP honors in a bowl for the third straight year and remarkably becoming the first college quarterback to win four consecutive bowl games as a starter.

Just to give you an idea of how revered he has become his coach, Bill Stewart has said, "I’m sitting by the greatest winner in college football today. He's the greatest to ever win the old gold and blue.

It's a fitting tribute that this man's the MVP."

Bill Stewart also told an ESPN reporter, "Pat White is the kind of man him and his wife want their son too be like." When White was asked what his best moment of the game was he replied, "When we kneeled the ball, the best play in college football."

Sure if he decides too enter the combine he will endure a lengthy and detailed interview process, but I hope for his sake NFL scouts were listening because I believe that statement alone should at least solidify his introduction portion.

After watching Bill kiss his quarterback on the forehead, I couldn't help but be touched, as a fan of football, but more relating too everyone's interests, a fan of life. Even though I have seen past performances of his come close to as riveting as this one and watched his career from his freshman season in 2005 as obsessed a fan that I am of the game of football no matter if its collegiate or professional, I noticed a special kid developing into a great athlete.

His passing yards grew steadily over the years of his time at West Virginia and most importantly the interceptions stayed at an even-keel as well as showing with his feet that he was arguably one of the best if not the best rushers in college football history.

To stay within the mark of seven interceptions in your career is very impressive granted, that the Mountaineers love running the ball and have rushed for 13,801 yards since White took his first snap in 2005. The program can be credited for producing talents such as Steve Slayton, who now calls the Texans home and sure-to-be top draft-pick Noel Devine, who complemented Slayton's quickness so well when he was there.

The main ingredient who made there rushing attack work so well was the man himself who was blessed with ability, Pat White. After all, he did finish his career with 4,480 rushing yards.

I understand the pundits will use West Virginia's potent rushing attack as a reason why Pat White has come along so well as a quarterback. They’ll say his agility as a rusher along with his running backs have contributed the most to the offense, leaving White with short fields to take advantage of as a quarterback on Saturday's, even despite finishing his collegiate career averaging over a 100.00 passer rating and finishing the job against the Tar Heels with a 142.41 passer rating.

Some might not want too call him a "pure passer" but athletic ability coupled with a dangerous passer makes for a deadly athlete. What NFL team do you know that doesn't want a potentially deadly athlete playing the quarterback position? Of course, in a former player like Michael Vick's case, that deadly talent can be combined with deadly off-the-field troubles that can destroy a franchise.

Believe me, I have done my research and issues of character seem like a non-factor for Pat. Having a family and a coach as a mentor while playing your college football in a supportive community goes a long way in establishing the sort of beliefs and determination it takes for a young man too mature and lead men at the next level on a playoff caliber team as well as conduct him self responsibly away from the team.

Sadly still, none of the experts are even considering Pat White as a late-round sleeper. Even with the NFL Draft being four months away, why not at least consider a debate of where in the draft he'll be picked and what team he might land on?

With all of these examples of what a future NFL quarterback consists of, where is the love from the national sports media? Not too overshadow the fact that White is undersized at 6'1", 190 pounds, to be considered a prototypical NFL quarterback for most scouts.

This is a deserved assessment by all means, but if anyone has seen his play they can attest too him withstanding the hardest hits and persevering through the physical conditions a quarterback is faced with, time and time again. Again, where is any of this valuable information being discussed?

I believe if teamed with the right trainers Pat White could definitely gain at least 10 or more pounds and have a very legitimate shot at being drafted early in the second round if not the first.

Just to mention, a quarterback who has a similar style of play and potential physical makeup that Pat can aspire to gain was drafted first in the second round and almost surpassed Dan Marino's career passing record.

I know I will receive criticism for mentioning Drew Breeze as being successful, since he hasn't won a championship yet like Marino failed to do. I am only considering the possibilities of White's talents, paired with the right guidance from experienced NFL coaches.

As a fan, what angers me the most is the almost eerie silence and ignorance towards how Pat's gifted athleticism can impact the NFL and who knows maybe even win a Super Bowl someday. As far fetched as that might sound. The issue that finally resonates with me the most is the continuance of African-American and other minority quarterbacks represented and representing themselves well in the NFL.

It's certainly nice too see minority franchise quarterbacks like Donovan McNabb and Jason Campbell, as well as younger players such as JaMarcus Russell and Tarvaris Jackson, who progressed nicely towards the end of the 2008 season, show the league that minorities can and will secure their positions as quarterbacks.

So far, I am proud of the progress the NFL has made thus far in their strides too give minority quarterbacks a fair shot but hope they don't stop now—wish I could say the same for coaches as well.

Frankly, I would hate too see White drafted as a receiver or a quarterback and be limited too playing the receiver position. Sure, he's a gifted dual threat on the field, but allow the man to show that he can primarily play quarterback first.

Why is he not garnering as much attention as Joe Flacco, who played in a much smaller and less recognized division, at least by the national media? There needs to be a spotlight and it needs to shine on Pat White.