7 Pakistanis, Saudis and Singaporeans Caught Trespassing At Massachusetts’ Largest Freshwater Reservoir

7 Caught Trespassing At Quabbin Reservoir In Belchertown, Mass.; Patrols Increased Across State – International Business Times

Seven people were detained on Tuesday after being caught trespassing at the Quabbin Reservoir in Belchertown, Mass., state police have revealed.

Authorities say that the seven trespassers, consisting of five men and two women, are from Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Singapore, CBS Boston reports. Massachusetts State Police claim that each trespasser “cited their education and career interests” as their reason for being in the restricted area.

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According to CBS Boston, the men told police that they were recent college graduates and chemical engineers.

State police spokesman David Procopio said in a statement that a trooper noticed two cars parked near a reservoir park entrance around 12:30 a.m. Tuesday. Five men and two women were then spotted walking toward the vehicles from the direction of the Quabbin Reservoir.

The Quabbin Reservoir, located in Belchertown, Mass., is one of the nation’s largest manmade public water supplies, CBS Boston reports. The Quabbin and Wachusett Reservoirs provide drinking water for the city of Boston.

While the seven trespassers were questioned, state police said that there were no warrants or advisories pertaining to the individuals. Authorities added that “there was no evidence that the seven were committing any crime beyond the trespassing,” CBS Boston reports.

Each of the seven people were allowed to leave after being issued a summons for trespassing. However, the FBI is investigating the matter, and precautionary inspections of nearby public water supplies have been increased, CBS Boston reports.

The seven trespassers currently reside in the Massachusetts towns of Amherst, Cambridge, Sunderland and Northampton, and New York City. State police have yet to release their names, as a court date has not been set.

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7 Things We Learned From The Benghazi Whistleblower Hearing

7 Things We Learned From The Benghazi Whistleblower Hearing – PJ Media

The Republicans mishandled the Benghazi whistleblowers’ hearing. What should have been stretched across several days to give the nation time to digest it all, was instead packed into a single day filled with an overwhelming amount of information. The media’s attention span is not that long. The verdict in the Jodi Arias trial came along in the afternoon and blew Benghazi off the networks, most of which didn’t want to cover it at all. Even Fox joined the drive-by media, taking Benghazi off the air in favor of the irrelevant Arias trial. Following the announcement of the Arias verdict, charges were read in the Cleveland kidnapping case. Those were aired live as well, relegating Benghazi again.

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Nevertheless, for those who slogged through the entire day of hearings and ignored local crime stories, new information was there to be learned.

1. There were multiple stand-down orders, not just one.

Special operations forces were told, twice, by their chain of command not to board aircraft to Benghazi to rescue the Americans then under attack. The U.S. deputy diplomat, Greg Hicks, testified that the military commander, Lt. Col. Gibson, had his team ready to go twice. They were on the runway about to board a flight to Benghazi in the middle of the attack. They were ordered to stand down and remain in Tripoli to receive wounded who would be coming out of Benghazi. One of the orders came in the middle of the attack, the other came toward the end after Hicks’ team had traveled from Tripoli to Benghazi. The fact that Hicks’ team was able get to Benghazi before the end of the assault strongly suggests that the special operations team could have made a real difference.

At the same time, the State Department’s commander on the scene, Hicks, ordered his personnel into Benghazi and went there himself. Hicks testified that Gibson never told him who issued the stand-down orders. He commented that Gibson told him that the military stand-down was a shock: “This is the first time in my career that a diplomat has more balls than someone in the military.”

Hicks also testified that the U.S. government never even requested military overflight to support the Americans in Benghazi. The U.S. had an unarmed drone overhead and could have gotten permission to fly fighters over the scene, at least, but never asked.

2. Ambassador Stevens’ reason for going to Benghazi has been cleared up.

Hicks testified that Ambassador Stevens traveled to Benghazi to fulfill one of Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s wishes. Despite the fact that security was worsening in Benghazi for months leading up to the 9-11 attack, Clinton wanted to make the post there permanent. Her State Department had denied repeated requests from the U.S. team in Libya to upgrade security there, but she wanted to use the permanent post as a symbol of goodwill. Stevens was committed to that goal and told Clinton he would “make it happen.” He was in Benghazi on 9-11 furthering Clinton’s goal. She had denied requests to beef up security at Benghazi and then blamed his death on a YouTube movie. Hicks’ testimony raises the question of Clinton’s competence and grasp on reality, strongly suggesting that she put political perceptions ahead of the facts on the ground in Benghazi.

3. Clinton was briefed at 2 am on the night of the attack, was never told that a movie had anything to do with the attack by those on the ground in Libya, yet blamed the movie anyway.

Hicks also testified that he was shocked when Ambassador Susan Rice blamed a YouTube movie for inspiring the 9-11 attack. He testified that he had briefed Secretary Clinton directly via phone at 2 a.m. and told her that Benghazi was a terrorist attack. He never mentioned a YouTube video, which he never once believed had anything to do with the attack. But Clinton shocked him by blaming the movie on Sept 12. She would blame it, again, while standing before the coffins of the slain Americans, on Sept. 14. During the attack, Clinton told Hicks that no help would be on the way to relieve the Americans under sustained assault.

4. Whistleblowers were intimidated into silence.

Hicks testified to a pattern of behavior that leads to the reasonable conclusion that many officials within the State Department wanted him to remain silent after the Benghazi attack. He said that on the night of the attack he was personally commended both by Secretary Clinton and President Barack Obama. But he later questioned why Ambassador Rice blamed the YouTube movie, and from that point on his superior, Acting Assistant Secretary for Near Eastern Affairs Beth Jones, questioned his “management style” and told him directly that no one in State should want him on their team in the field again. He was eventually demoted to a desk job after having been deputy to Ambassador Stevens, and remains in that post. Hick also testified that the Accountability Review Board, convened by Clinton last fall allegedly to determine the facts of the attack, never had stenographers in the room during his tw0-hour interview. Nordstrom concurred. Thompson was not even allowed to testify to the ARB despite having direct knowledge of the attacks due to his position on the U.S. Foreign Emergency Support Team. Thompson testified that the FEST was designed to go from zero to wheels up very quickly but was not deployed at all. He wanted to tell his story to the ARB, but was not allowed to. Hicks also testified that for the first time in his career, the State Department assigned a lawyer/minder to attend witness interviews with the ARB. He also testified that Jones told him not to be personally interviewed by Rep. Jason Chaffetz, the Republican House member who was investigating the attack on behalf of the House Government Oversight and Reform Committee. It all adds up to a pattern of witness control and intimidation.

5. “The YouTube movie was a non-event in Libya.”

Hicks directly testified that the YouTube movie, for which a man remains in jail, was not in any way relevant to the attack in Benghazi. Why Obama, Clinton, Rice et al blamed that movie for the attack remains an unanswered question. Hicks said that no American on the ground in Libya that night believed the movie was to blame. He also testified that there was no protest prior to the attack. When the attack began, he was in Tripoli. He texted Stevens, who was in Benghazi, to advise him of the riot in Cairo at the U.S. embassy. In that riot, jihadists had stormed the walls and replaced the American flag with the black flag of Islam. Stevens had not been aware of the Cairo situation at all, but shortly after Hicks texted him about it, Stevens called and told Hicks that the Benghazi consulate was under attack. He never mentioned a protest.

Hicks also testified that blaming the movie had strongly adverse real-world effects. According to him, it humiliated Libya’s president, who had correctly stated that Benghazi was a terrorist attack. Blaming the movie, Hicks said, did “immeasurable damage” to our relations with Libya and delayed the FBI investigation. On Sept. 12, Ambassador Susan Rice told the first of her many untruths, claiming in an email that the FBI investigation into the attack was already underway. It would not actually get underway for 17 days after the attack, by which time the scene of the attack had been compromised and contaminated.

We still do not know who decided to change the original CIA talking points and blame the movie, but the finger is pointing directly at Hillary Clinton. She was briefed by Hicks during the attack, the movie was never mentioned, but in her first public statement on September 12, she blamed the movie. Her subordinate, Ambassador Susan Rice, also blamed the movie the following weekend. The fact that Obama himself blamed the movie repeatedly, though, strongly suggests that he took part in the decision as well.

6. Democrats were uninterested in getting at most of the facts, but were very interested in destroying Mark Thompson.

Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-MD) set the tone for the Democrats’ angle on the hearings in his opening remarks. He used his opening to attack the committee chairman, Rep. Darrell Issa, and to pre-question the witnesses. Most of the Democrats who followed him failed to ask many questions of the witnesses. Instead, they delivered speeches or blamed budget cuts, an argument that has already been debunked by the State Department itself. One sadly hilarious moment came during Rep. William Clay’s questioning. The Missouri Democrat blamed the repeated denials to enhance security at Benghazi on budget cuts. Issa reminded him that the State Department has debunked that line, in the person of Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Charlene Lamb. She testified last fall that budget cuts had not impacted the decisions not to enhance security at Benghazi. Clay claimed not to remember Lamb’s testimony, then moved quickly to cite the ARB, which backed his side. His selective memory proved politically, if not factually, reliable. Mark Thompson, member of the Foreign Emergency Support Team (FEST) testified that his section had been cut out of decision making during the attack.
The Democrats consistently circled on him to try to get him to contradict himself or attack his boss, Daniel Benjamin, who has claimed FEST was included throughout the attack. They never really succeeded, and now Benjamin will be called to testify in a future hearing to clear up the dispute. The heads of the ARB, Ambassador Thomas Pickering and Admiral Michael Mullen, will now be called as well.

7. House hearings are a poor way to determine who did what and why during and after the attack.

The Republicans, as I said, should have broken today’s hearing out across several days. When they did question the witnesses, they kept their speeches short and focused on getting answers. Their Democratic counterparts consistently gave speeches and raised red herrings. They were able to waste time and stall long enough for the Arias trial to push the hearing off the TV, and for energy to flag and boredom to set in. The Benghazi attack needs to be properly investigated by someone outside the political process and outside the Obama administration. State cannot be trusted; its own investigation failed even to interview Clinton. Defense may also have officers and political appointees to protect. A special prosecutor is in order and should be appointed.

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Related article:

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Benghazi Continues: Hillary De Medici – Roger L. Simon

The Benghazi scandal is not over. You will be told that by a lot of people. There is no smoking gun, etc. (Actually, there are many.)

Some folks on the right, because they have been so accustomed to failure in the face of a monolithic media, will be ready to throw in the towel.

That group is particularly disturbing because they are the very people who should be pushing this forward. Without realizing it, their proclamations of pessimism are a self-fulfilling prophecy.

I urge them to overcome it for the sake of our country, because – trust me – Benghazi is not over. It has only just begun.

Anyone paying attention to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform hearings Wednesday would have plenty of reasons for optimism. To begin with, the testimony underscored (and how!) what we already knew – that the events of September 11, 2012, were a terrorist attack and not a demonstration over a YouTube video.

Gregory Hicks, the former deputy chief of mission in Libya, told the committee that Ambassador Stevens said precisely that – that he was “under attack” – when he made his very first emergency phone call from Benghazi to Hicks on that fateful night.

But don’t take Hicks’ word for it. Take the word of one of his superiors – Beth Jones, the State Department’s own acting assistant secretary for Near Eastern Affairs.

In the closest thing to a coup de théâtre at the hearing, Congressman Trey Gowdy (R-SC) revealed a September 12 email from Jones to Hicks, State Department officials Victoria Nuland and Patrick Kennedy, and Hillary Clinton’s personal counsel Cheryl Mills, stating that she (Jones) had informed Libyan leadership that the attack at Benghazi was the work of Ansar al Sharia – one of the world’s most well-known Islamic terror groups.

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This was four days before Ambassador Rice appeared on five Sunday shows and lied to the American people by blaming the events on the YouTube video and long before Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton repeated that lie, he in front of the United Nations, and she in front of the very Chris Stevens’ coffin with family and friends in attendance.

Hillary de Medici, indeed.

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Military Signs Contract For Green Jet Fuel That’s Nearly 16 Times The Price Of Conventional Fuel

Military Signs Contract For Green Jet Fuel That’s Nearly 16 Times The Price Of Conventional Fuel – The Blaze

With many claiming to feel the pangs of the sequestration, it appears a green company’s contract for a more expensive jet fuel was allowed to go through.

The renewable chemical and biofuel company Gevo in its first quarter investor relations report stated that it signed a contract with the Defense Logistics Agency to supply 3,650 gallons of renewable jet fuel.

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The order, worth $215,350 total ($59/gallon), is set to be delivered by 2013′s second quarter and has the option to be increased to 12,500 gallons, which would cost up to $737,500.

Gevo calls this an “initial testing phase.”

Under other contracts, the company already supplies renewable jet fuel for the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy.

As the Washington Examiner pointed out, DLA set conventional JP-8 jet fuel as costing $3.78 per gallon at FY 2013 rates.

In other renewable jet fuel news, the Wisconsin-based company Virent Inc. delivered 100 gallons of bio-fuel this week to the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio.

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The Dayton Daily News reported that the jet fuel produced from 100-percent renewable plant sugars will be tested against applicable standards as the Air Force continues to strive toward its goal of flying on domestic, alternative fuels by 2030.

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Thanks Barack… Shorter Work Week Equivalent To 500,000 Jobs Lost

Thanks Barack… Shorter Work Week Equivalent To 500,000 Jobs Lost – Gateway Pundit

The good news is the unemployment rate dropped to 7.5%. The bad news is that companies are cutting hours.

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In April the shorter work week was equivalent to 500,000 jobs lost.

Market Watch reported:

The April employment report exceeded expectations, with 165,000 jobs created and a welcome drop in the unemployment rate to 7.5%.

But there was a dark side to the report: Total hours worked fell sharply, and the total amount of money earned by U.S. workers actually declined from the month before.

“Aggregate weekly hours” is an obscure series of data in the jobs report, but it’s vital to understanding how strong the economy is performing. As the name implies, it measures the total number of hours worked, which is what matters for sizing up overall growth in the economy.

Usually, we focus just on the number of new jobs created and the unemployment rate, but the number of hours we work matters just as much, if not more, to our economic well-being…

…In April, companies hired 165,000 more workers, but they cut everyone’s hours (on average) by 12 minutes. That doesn’t sound like much of a decline, but spread out over the 135 million-strong work force, the decline in hours worked is the equivalent of firing more than 500,000 workers while keeping hours steady.

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*VIDEO* Lawyer For Benghazi Whistleblower: Obama State Department Breaking Federal Law

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Related article:

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Obama On Benghazi Whistleblowers Scandal: I Know Nothing… Nothing! – CNS

President Barack Obama denied any knowledge of State Department employees being prohibited from testifying on the Benghazi terrorist attack that killed four Americans last September, but said he would find out.

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During a presidential news conference Tuesday, a reporter asked, “On the Benghazi question, I know pieces of the story have been litigated, and you’ve been asked about it. But there are people in your own State Department saying they’ve been blocked from coming forward, that they survived the terror attack and they want to tell their story. Will you help them come forward and just say it once and for all?”

Obama responded, “Ed, I’m not familiar with this notion that anybody’s been blocked from testifying. So what I’ll do is I will find out what exactly you’re referring to.”

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But the president repeated his administration was committed to finding out the truth about the attack that killed, four Americans including U.S. Ambassador to Libya Christopher Stevens in Libya.

“What I’ve been very clear about from the start is that our job with respect to Benghazi has been to find out exactly what happened, to make sure that U.S. embassies not just in the Middle East but around the world are safe and secure and to bring those who carried it out to justice, but I’ll find out what exactly you’re referring to,” Obama said.

The reporter followed, “They hired an attorney, because they’re saying that they’ve been blocked from coming forward.”

Obama responded, “I’m not familiar with it.”

On Friday, Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.), chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, sent a letter to Secretary of State John Kerry outlining the State Department’s obstruction into the investigation of the Benghazi terror attack.

Issa said obstruction includes unusual restrictions on documents, threats to destroy oversight committee property, and attempts to hinder whistleblowers from obtaining legal representation cleared to view classified information.

“During the course of the Committee’s investigation, numerous individuals have come forward with information related to the Benghazi attack,” Issa wrote in the letter. “Some witnesses may be required to retain personal counsel to represent them before the Committee and in case the Department retaliates against them for cooperating with the Committee’s investigation.

“Additional witnesses may be compelled by subpoena to give testimony to the Committee and can be reasonably expected to retain personal counsel at that time. In each case, witnesses may need to share sensitive or classified information with their lawyers. The Department’s unwillingness to make the process for clearing an attorney more transparent appears to be an effort to interfere with the rights of employees to furnish information to Congress.”

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Boston Marathon Terrorists And Family Received $100,000 In Welfare Benefits

Tsarnaev Family Received $100G In Benefits – Boston Herald

The Tsarnaev family, including the suspected terrorists and their parents, benefited from more than $100,000 in taxpayer-funded assistance – a bonanza ranging from cash and food stamps to Section 8 housing from 2002 to 2012, the Herald has learned.

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“The breadth of the benefits the family was receiving was stunning,” said a person with knowledge of documents handed over to a legislative committee today.

The state has handed over more than 500 documents to the 11-member House Post Audit and Oversight Committee, which today met for the first time and plans to call in officials from the Department of Transitional Assistance to testify.

“I can assure members of the public that this committee will actively review every single piece of information we can find because clearly the public has a substantial right to know what benefits, if any, this family or individuals accused of some horrific crimes were receiving,” said state Rep. David Linsky (D-Natick), the committee’s chairman.

Linsky’s committee has requested documents from the DTA, the state’s Medicaid director and Health and Human Services Secretary John Polanowicz. But so far the committee has not released the records publicly, citing a privilege the DTA is asserting under state law.

Transitional assistance officials also told the Herald tonight that the agency was conducting its own investigation into whether Tamerlan Tsarnaev’s family ever notified the DTA about his extended trip to Russia, and has since expanded its probe to include a full history of the benefits received by the entire Tsarnaev family.

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The Pittsburgh Steelers’ 2013 Draft Class Evaluations (Videos)

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…Jarvis Jones

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Dan Snyder:

With the 17th pick in the NFL draft, the Pittsburgh Steelers select a guy who just two months ago was considered the best prospect in the entire draft, and they fill a need at the same time.

Jarvis Jones fell mostly due to injury and poor workouts, but there’s no questioning that he’s the most polished pass-rusher in the field.

Role:

Jones obviously comes in and fills an immediate need with the departure of James Harrison to the Cincinnati Bengals. But Jones could have helped this team even if Harrison had stuck around.

Once the most dominant pass-rushing team in the league, Pittsburgh’s defense fell all the way to 17th and 15th in sacks over the past two years. Both Harrison and LaMarr Woodley have been slowed by injuries, and it’s shown on the field.

As of now, Jones should go into camp competing for the starting role left by Harrison. He’ll have to beat out incumbent Jason Worilds, a former second-round pick who has just 10 sacks in 40 career games, five of which came in 2012.

Scheme Fit:

Pittsburgh probably couldn’t have found a guy in the first round of this draft that was a better fit schematically for Dick LeBeau’s 3-4 defense.

LeBeau’s original 3-4 scheme was built around getting to the quarterback with heat from the edge. They employed guys like Greg Lloyd and Kevin Greene for the original package and worked their way up to Jason Gildon, Joey Porter, James Harrison and LaMarr Woodley.

But that pass rush has fallen off in recent years, and Jones is the guy to help bring it back.

Jones ran a similar 3-4 defense under coordinator Todd Grantham at the University of Georgia. That was a defense that led to Jones becoming a two-time first-team All-American for the Bulldogs and one of the most feared pass-rushers in the country.

The transition period for Jones shouldn’t be too long given his familiarity with the scheme, and that could be great news for Pittsburgh.

Early Projections:

In all reality, it’s pretty hard to predict how any Steelers rookie will ever perform. Typically, they don’t come in as starters but end up working their way into some sort of role and contributing early.

That should be the case with Jones, who will have to compete with three-year veteran Worilds.

The best comparison we can make for the amount of time Jones will see for Pittsburgh in 2013 is going back to 2007 and looking at what Woodley did.

Woodley, a second-round pick, was in a very similar situation with Porter leaving and incumbent Clark Haggans penciled in for the starting role. Although Haggins did end up starting all 16 games for the Steelers, Woodley’s role increased as the season carried on, especially in pass-rushing situations.

That’s the type of season Jones could very well have in 2013.

Jones is most likely a better player than Worilds and is probably more adept at getting to the quarterback, but the Steelers have always had a tendency to hold off on starting rookies unless they’re the only thing they’ve got. Mike Tomlin also tends to lean toward veteran guys when filling out his depth chart.

Grade:

I gave the Steelers an A for their pick of Jones in my Grades/Analysis piece, and I’m sticking to that.

The Steelers certainly have some holes to fill on offense, such as receiver, running back and (possibly) tight end, but they couldn’t pass on a talent like Jones, especially given his fit with this defense.

As the board shaped up, it began to look more and more unlikely that Jones would fall to the Steelers. But a small run on defensive tackles and cornerbacks pushed the Georgia linebacker into Pittsburgh’s laps. Realistically, the only other option the Steelers had was tight end Tyler Eifert.

Maybe best of all is the fact that Jones’ intangibles are off the charts. This is a guy who was the captain of a vaunted defense for the Bulldogs and, as Mel Kiper put it during ESPN’s draft coverage, “On a scale of 1 to 10, his character is a 15.”

Pittsburgh, without question, made the best pick they could have in the first round this year. The only reason it’s not an A+ would be because of the injury concern, given his condition of spinal stenosis.

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…Le’Veon Bell

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Dan Snyder:

In the second round of the 2013 NFL Draft, the Steelers improve on what was one of the league’s worst running games in 2012 and one of the worst in their history. They select former Michigan State running back Le’Veon Bell.

Bell may be a bit of a reach for the Steelers at No. 48, but it just goes to show you how highly they thought of him, taking him over guys like Alabama’s Eddie Lacy and Wisconsin’s Montee Ball.

Role:

In today’s more pass-happy NFL, it can become a little complicated to truly gauge a running backs role with a given team. But when I watch Bell play at Michigan State, it’s pretty clear what the Steelers have in store for the former Spartan.

He’s going to be their feature back.

It may not come this year, but Pittsburgh has to think that Bell is the future back for this football team, taking him relatively early in the draft. Bell also had to catch the Steelers eye because of his ability to catch the ball out of the backfield.

With Jonathan Dwyer and Isaac Redman already in place and the recent signing of LaRod Stephens-Howling, Pittsburgh will have a very crowded backfield to start the 2013 season. It’s certainly going to be interesting to see how they use all of these guys.

Scheme Fit:

If there’s a back in this draft that embodies what the Steelers love in their running backs, it’s Le’Veon Bell. At 6’2″, 230 pounds, Bell runs with immense power and has one of the most powerful stiff arms you’ll ever see.

But for a 230-pound man, Bell has quick feet and has been known to hurdle some defenders. He makes very strong cuts and gets downhill quickly. Bell doesn’t dance at the line of scrimmage, which is a nice change for the Steelers.

Bell is more of a complete back than most people will give him credit for and should eventually become the lead ball-carrier in Pittsburgh. Given the big, mauling offensive line the Steelers have in place up front, I’d say Bell is a good fit in the Burgh.

Early Projections:

As was the case with Jarvis Jones last night, it’s very rare to see a Steelers rookie completely take over a starting role in their inaugural season. The last player to do so was Maurkice Pouncey.

Pittsburgh also has the luxury of having a deep backfield with Dwyer, Redman and the newly-acquired Stephens-Howling already in place. That’s not good news for people who want to see Bell start right away.

But, the Steelers don’t generally take guys early in drafts who won’t contribute in some way in their rookie season. Bell won’t be a returner and his special teams contributions will most likely be very limited. So what will Bell’s role be in 2013?

One spot he could very easily come into camp occupying is as the third-down back. Bell comes in as probably the teams’ best pass protector and receiver out of the backfield. Goal-line touches are another immediate opportunity for Bell in Pittsburgh. He had 33 touchdowns in three seasons with Michigan State.

As the season goes on, expect Bell to touch the ball more and more while Dwyer and Redman do battle for the rest of the carries. Realistically, Bell could carve out a respectable 600 yards and be in double-figures in touchdowns. Wouldn’t shock me if he was the team’s leading rusher by the end of 2013.

Grade:

Initially, I gave the Steelers a C+ in the Grades/Analysis piece for the selection of Le’Veon Bell at No. 48 overall, but admittedly, that may have been a little premature. Bell was certainly a bit of a reach for the Steelers in the second round and they probably could have traded back and still got their guy.

But Bell is the type of back that fits what the Steelers like to do in their running game. He’s got great size and power with quick, choppy feet and some pretty good athleticism to add. He can be an immediate impact player in the backfield in what becomes a relatively deep platoon for Pittsburgh.

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…Markus Wheaton

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Dan Snyder:

Mike Wallace is no easy man to replace. The fastest man in football left the Steel City for a big contract in Miami, leaving the Steelers with a void at wide receiver.

With the 79th overall pick in the 2013 NFL Draft, Pittsburgh made an attempt to rectify that situation by adding Oregon State’s all-time leader in receptions, Markus Wheaton.

Role

Wheaton is a very good fit for what the Steelers want to do offensively under Todd Haley. His game is very similar to that of current Pittsburgh receivers Antonio Brown and Emmanuel Sanders. He’ll catch the ball across the middle and can make guys miss in space.

But Wheaton can add some of the deep speed back to the Steelers’ offense.

Wheaton routinely dabbled in track and field while at Oregon State and those teams don’t take guys who can’t run. His deep speed won’t compete with that of Wallace, but it’s probably better than anything the Steelers currently have on the roster.

There’s going to be serious contention for slot receiver roles this season in Pittsburgh as Brown, Sanders and Wheaton all fit that role. It’ll be interesting to see how the Steelers decide to divvy up that role.

Scheme Fit

Schematically, Markus Wheaton makes a lot of sense for the Steelers.

Under Todd Haley, Pittsburgh has really converted their offense to that of the short, quick passing attack and letting the receivers make people miss in space. Brown and Sanders have exceeded at these roles.

At Oregon State, Wheaton did just the same thing. Although he’s got the ability to beat defenders down the field, Wheaton is at his best beating defenders in open space with underneath, crossing routes.

Ben Roethlisberger is going to love this guy. Wheaton can beat the defenders with his elite quickness and is sure-handed. He’s a good fit in Pittsburgh.

Early Projections

Losing Wallace didn’t deplete the Steelers receiving corps as much as most people think. Pittsburgh still has Plaxico Burress and Jerricho Cotchery who, although aren’t the receivers they were four years ago, are still effective.

Wheaton, to me, is more of a pick for 2014.

Pittsburgh paid to keep Emmanuel Sanders in the city for one more year, but it’s going to take a big contract to keep him here in the future. Wheaton is a very nice replacement for Sanders and could steal some snaps from him in 2013.

I wouldn’t expect a whole lot of Wheaton in 2013. He still has to come in and learn the offense, get a report going with Roethlisberger and gain the trust of his coaches. He’s a good character guy so I don’t expect this to be an issue, but there’s still going to be a learning curve.

Wheaton could go anywhere from 300-500 yards receiving this season. That’s not half bad when you think about it.

Grades

In the Grades/Analysis piece, I gave the Steelers a B+ for taking Wheaton at No. 79 and I think that’s pretty fair.

Pittsburgh certainly got good value for a guy like Wheaton who could have easily been a second round pick. He’s a good fit for the offensive system and is a faster clone of Antonio Brown.

The only issue I have with this pick is that it’s more of the same at receiver. A guy with more size may have been nice, but still a very good pick by the Steelers.

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…Shamarko Thomas

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Dan Snyder:

The Steelers were interested in this year’s safety class as high as the first round.

They filled a major need by trading a third rounder next year to get back into the fourth and grab Syracuse safety Shamarko Thomas.

Role

Behind starters Ryan Clark and Troy Polamalu, the Steelers had absolutely no depth on their roster at safety. Things got even worse as Polamalu missed nine games with a calf strain, forcing Ryan Mundy into the lineup.

This offseason, Mundy left for a deal with the Giants, and fellow backup Will Allen also flew the coop, leaving the Steelers very vulnerable.

Shamarko Thomas makes a lot of sense for the Steelers because of the way he plays the game. He’s a bit undersized, but is a force around the line of scrimmage. This guy looks like a missile when he’s on the field.

Thomas won’t open camp as a starter, but he’s got to be ready to play. Polamalu and Clark both play a style of football that’s conducive to injuries and could force Thomas into the lineup.

Scheme Fit

Dick LeBeau is going to love Shamarko Thomas.

Thomas plays the game at a high rate of speed and can flat out blow people up. He’s versatile enough to play up in the box or drop deep into coverage. That’s something the Steelers can play with.

Right now, Thomas is in a great position to learn the game from Polamalu, who plays a similar style, and execute on the field when he’s call on. He’ll have to get better in coverage, but he can immediately fit as a pass-rusher from deep.

Early Projections

With Polamalu and Clark firmly cemented in place as the starters, Thomas will start the season as a backup. But given the injury history of those two players, he could end up seeing some significant time as a rookie.

Immediately, Thomas is going to be an impact player on special teams. Think about a guy like Thomas sprinting down the field in kick and punt coverage. Scary stuff, huh?

But I’d be shocked if Thomas didn’t end up becoming a significant contributor on the defense by the end of the season. Given the injury history of the Steelers’ two starting safeties, Thomas will end up on the field this season.

Grades

In the Grades/Analysis piece, I gave the Steelers an A for the Thomas pick because I thought they both filled a big need and they get great value.

The Steelers had to dump a third rounder in the 2014 draft, so it goes to show you how highly the team thinks of Thomas. He’s great depth for the time being and could eventually become a regular in Pittsburgh’s lineup.

Dick LeBeau will find a way to use this guy.

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…Landry Jones

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Dan Snyder:

One of the major problems the Pittsburgh Steelers faced in 2012 was the short-term loss of quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. Backups Byron Leftwich and Charlie Batch struggled to keep the Steelers afloat, which was a direct cause of the team missing the playoffs.

Pittsburgh made an attempt to get some better talent behind Roethlisberger by acquiring Oklahoma quarterback Landry Jones in the fourth round.

Role

Landry Jones’ role seems pretty well-defined at this point. He’s going to be a backup and compete with Bruce Gradkowski for the second string job.

But there’s a little more to it than that.

Jones should be coming into Pittsburgh with a chip on his shoulder. He was once considered one of the most promising young quarterbacks in college football, before suffering two straight seasons of inconsistent play. He’ll need to prove his critics wrong.

The former Sooner comes to Pittsburgh in a great position to learn from Roethlisberger and hone is craft in an offense that isn’t one of the most complicated in the league. Jones needs to gain back his confidence and he can do that in a low pressure situation with the Steelers.

Scheme Fit

Like Roethlisberger, Jones is a tall and thick pocket passer. But unlike Big Ben, Jones really struggles under duress in the pocket.

In terms of the scheme Pittsburgh employs under Todd Haley, quarterbacks have to be accurate and get the ball out quickly. Those are two things Jones does well. Jones gets the ball out of his hands quickly and can throw to any part of the field.

He’s going to have to learn how to deal with pressure, but with the quick passing game, it’s less of an issue in Pittsburgh than it would be elsewhere.

Early Projections

Like Shamarko Thomas, Jones won’t come into the season as the Steelers starting quarterback. But if he wins the second string job, he could end up seeing time on the field.

With the injury history that Roethlisberger has and an offensive line that has a lot of moving parts, Jones is in a position where he may have to play immediately and fill in for at least a few games. That means he’s got to be ready to play.

Honestly, I wouldn’t be shocked if Jones ended up starting two to three games for the Steelers in 2013. He’ll have to beat out Bruce Gradkowski for the backup job, however.

Grades

The Steelers apparently had Jones pretty high on their board because they wasted little time snagging him in the fourth. But with the talent that was still on the board (Jesse Williams), Pittsburgh certainly could have gone in a different direction.

I gave the Steelers a B- in my Grades/Analysis piece because I’m a little higher than most on Jones and I think he can develop into a good quarterback. But there were certainly other players on the board who made more sense.

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…Terry Hawthorne

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Dan Snyder:

The Pittsburgh Steelers have continued the trend of replacing exactly what they lost in free agency by taking former Illinois cornerback Terry Hawthorne. Pittsburgh lost corner Keenan Lewis to the Saints this offseason, so adding more depth makes sense.

Role

For the 2013 season, Hawthorne will most likely find his primary role to be a contributor on special teams for the Steelers.

As for his main priority of playing cornerback, there’s probably not a great chance he makes a significant impact this season. But he should be able to compete with Curtis Brown and Josh Victorian for some reserve roles.

His biggest concern, however, may be staying healthy long enough to make the team.

Hawthorne was injured in his sophomore and senior campaigns in Illinois but showed flashes of promise in 2011 when he was an All-Big Ten Honorable Mention performer.

Scheme Fit

Hawthorne is just the kind of cornerback the Steelers like to draft. He’s pretty tall for a defensive back and plays bigger than his frame.

He has good ability to cover bigger receivers in the NFL and needs to get better in his backpedal. But he has experience in zone coverage schemes and started all four years with the Illini.

Most importantly, Hawthorne is one of the best tackling corners in this year’s NFL draft, and we all know that if you want to play for the Steelers, you better be able to tackle. He’s a good fit for Dick LeBeau’s defense.

Early Projections

I wouldn’t expect a whole lot out of Hawthorne in his rookie campaign given the fact that he’ll be buried on the depth chart. Cornerback wasn’t an immediate need for the Steelers, and Hawthorne will probably compete for no higher than the No. 4 job.

His biggest impact will most likely be made on special teams in 2013, and for a willing tackler like Hawthorne, he can make some plays.

Grades

I’d give the Steelers a C+ for taking Hawthorne in the fifth round simply because I think there were more pressing needs still on the board.

But, in the fifth round, Pittsburgh has the luxury of taking a guy they can develop, and Hawthorne has some serious skill. If he can get over the injury issues, this could end up being a very good pick for the Steelers.

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…Justin Brown

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Dan Snyder:

Even thought the Steelers took receiver Markus Wheaton in the third round of the 2013 NFL Draft, they didn’t feel they had enough at the position.

As a result Pittsburgh selected sizable receiver Justin Brown from Oklahoma.

Role

Brown is in a position where he won’t have to play immediately for the Steelers but he could be in the teams’ future plans. Brown is 6’3″ and with Plaxico Burress set to become a free agent after the 2013 season, the Steelers need a size guy.

Brown started his career at Penn State before transferring to Oklahoma following the NCAA sanctions against the Nittany Lions. Brown never accumulated 1,000 yards in a given season but did compile over 1,900 career yards and eight touchdowns.

Scheme Fit

Schematically, the Steelers actually have very little use for a big wide receiver. But Ben Roethlisberger has been begging for a big target for years and they can utilize some size near the goal line.

Burress currently occupies the position of “tall receiver” on the Steelers and given how raw Brown really is, he’s probably not in any position to make an impact for Pittsburgh in 2013.

Early Projection

I’d be stunned if Brown made any sort of real impact on the Steelers offense in 2013. In fact, I’d be a little shocked if Brown ended up on the Steelers active roster for the season.

That’s not to say the Steelers made a poor pick in the sixth round.

Brown has good potential, it just needs to be honed. He could become an impact player in a few years for the Steelers, but his most likely destination is the practice squad in 2013.

Grades

I gave the Steelers a B- for taking Brown in the sixth round because I like the potential of the pick. He’s not ready to make an impact immediately for Pittsburgh but with good coaching, he could become an effective receiver in a few years.

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…Vince Williams

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Dan Snyder:

One thing’s for sure, the Pittsburgh Steelers certainly lacked depth at inside linebacker in 2012. They added Sean Spence during the 2012 NFL Draft, but a devastating knee injury ended his season before it even started.

So with their compensatory pick in the sixth round, Pittsburgh added former Florida State linebacker Vince Williams into the fold.

Role

Williams actually enters a great opportunity with the Steelers. He’s not going to immediately contend for a starting role, but he could be in line for a backup spot.

Williams is the type of inside linebacker the Steelers have looked for recently. He’s a bit undersizedat only 6′ and around 230 pounds, but he can attack the line of scrimmage as well as anybody. Expect Williams’ name to come up in camp this year.

Scheme Fit

Williams is the type of linebacker the Steelers like to have behind Larry Foote. In fact, he and Foote are relatively the same size.

Dick LeBeau likes to use guys like Williams who can attack the line of scrimmage and are good against the run. One may think that would work better with a bigger player, but that isn’t how the Steelers have drafted.

Early Projection

As I said above, Williams is in a good position to compete for a backup role with the Steelers this season. That could lead to decent playing time for a young player.

At the very least, Williams should be a contributor on special teams. He’s fast and strong enough to make an impact on some coverage units that have been less than average this season.

Grades

I’m not really sold on this pick because I would have like to see the Steelers take someone with a little more size inside. Williams comes off as a bit too small to cover ground inside for the Steelers, but he’s fully capable of adding some bulk.

I give the Steelers a C- for the pick.

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…Nick Williams

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Dan Snyder:

The Steelers certainly needed to find depth across the defensive line and they do just that with the selection of Samford defensive tackle Nick Williams.

Role

Williams can come in and compete immediately for a backup role because Pittsburgh has struggled with their depth on the defensive front for years. Brett Keisel is solid and Ziggy Hood has shown flashes, but Cameron Heyward hasn’t impressed and beyond that there’s not much.

Williams has good size and build. He plays the downhill and is long and sleek. Williams can be more than just a run defender as he accumulated seven sacks last season at Samford.

Scheme Fit

Williams is an interesting guy for the Steelers.

At 6’4″, 309, he certainly has the size Pittsburgh looks for in a five-technique defensive end. But unlike the ends the Steelers currently have on the roster, Williams is more of a pass rusher than run defender.

That brings an interesting fold into the Steelers defensive plans.

Regardless, Williams has the size to play defensive end in the Steelers scheme and is at the least good depth for the team in the meantime.

Early Projection

Honestly, Williams could jump right into the Steelers rotation if they feel he’s ready. That’s a big if, however.

Williams has only been playing football for five years and is still pretty raw. But he makes plays solely on instinct. He won’t be able to do what he did at Samford in the NFL, but he can still make some things happen.

Williams certainly could battle his way into the rotation. He’d have to beat out Al Woods which isn’t saying a whole lot.

Grade

Pittsburgh gets potential in the seventh round of the draft which isn’t a bad thing. They’ll have to unleash that potential and let Williams grown into a football player. I gave the grade a B because there are still good players on the board.

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2013 NFL Draft Picks – Rounds 4 Through 7

Click HERE to view results of ROUND 1.

Click HERE to view results of ROUNDS 2 & 3.

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Note: for the following 4 rounds, I have only posted the draft picks of last season’s playoff teams. They are the Bengtals, the Texans, the Broncos, the Colts, the Patriots, the Ravens, the Vikings, the Packers, the Redskins, the Seahawks, the Falcons and the 49ers.

Click HERE for all other draft results.

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ROUND 4

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Patriots – Boyce, Josh – WR – 5’11″ – 206 – TCU – 72.2
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “A very “Belichickian” pick for the Patriots. Boyce had an injury that dropped him down boards, but he is a great down-the-field pick who reminds me a lot of the Aaron Dobson pick from Day 2. Doubling down on a big need is a path toward success for a team that is already in contention.” – Grade: B+

Packers – Bakhtiari, David – OT – 6’4″ – 299 – Colorado – 70.5
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “Great pick and great value for Ted Thompson (redundancy alert!). I think Bakhtiari has upside as a left tackle, but I’ve been told that some teams had him as a top center in this draft class. Others had him as a top guard.” – Grade: A-

Bengals – Porter, Sean – LB – 6’1″ – 229 – Texas A&M – 71.1
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “The Bengals wanted depth in the linebacking corps, and Porter is a good prospect who can chase in pursuit as well as blitz the QB from both the interior and the exterior. Great depth for an already-great defense.” – Grade: B

Redskins – Thomas, Phillip – S – 6’0″ – 208 – Fresno St. – 74.1
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “Another defensive pick for the Redskins, who needed a lot of help in their defensive backfield. Thomas has a better chance to start early on than their first pick, David Amerson. Thomas has good athleticism and great ball skills.” – Grade: A

Vikings – Hodges, Gerald – LB – 6’1″ – 243 – Penn St. – 72.4
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “Great fit for Hodges who could come in and start as a middle linebacker by year two in Minnesota. They’re desperate for a player there and are lucky Hodges fell to them. He’s a heady defender and a great young man to add to the locker room. It’s a bit of a reach, in my opinion, but I definitely understand what they saw in him.” – Grade: A-

Colts – Holmes, Khaled – C – 6’3″ – 302 – USC – 71.0
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “Holmes was my top-rated zone-blocking center in this draft class. In a non-ZBS scheme, I wouldn’t have touched him until the seventh, but in the Colts’ scheme, he should be fantastic. They had a need at the position and picked up the perfect player to fill it. I think he starts in his first year because of where he landed.” – Grade: A

Packers – Tretter, J.C. – OT – 6’4″ – 307 – Cornell – 64.0
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “Tretter has been on a lot of lists as a “small school stud,” but I never saw it up close or on tape. He’s a tweener in the worst sense of the word, and I’m not sure he’ll ever find a starting position on even the Packers offensive line. Think they could’ve gotten a better player at guard in Round 5.” – Grade: C-

Seahawks – Harper, Chris – WR – 6’1″ – 229 – Kansas St. – 68.0
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “I think Harper ends up as one of the better receivers on the Seahawks roster. He caught everything at Senior Bowl practices and has a little Percy Harvin in his game, as he has enough body size to line up at a bunch of different places. I love his physicality down the field.” – Grade: A

Texans – Williams, Trevardo – DE – 6’1″ – 241 – Connecticut – 66.1
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “Another great pass-rushing prospect for Houston. This is a reach for the Texans, but they clearly have a “type” in this class. Williams will need to stick on special teams to get a lot of burn, but in a rotation at outside linebacker, he’ll provide a little spark once he warms up to the NFL game.” – Grade: B

Packers – Franklin, Johnathan – RB – 5’10″ – 205 – UCLA – 72.3
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “Think the Packers targeted a certain position this offseason? “Jetski” Franklin is one of my favorite young men in this draft class and a fantastic football player. I know of a few teams that had second-round grades on Franklin, and I thought he could potentially sneak into the first. Great pick even if it wasn’t a great need.” – Grade: B+

Falcons – Goodman, Malliciah – DE – 6’4″ – 276 – Clemson – 67.7
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “This is a rotational pass-rusher for a team that was looking for an eventual starter, which I’m not sure Goodman can ever be. That said, he’ll provide them some burst on third downs and could be useful in a “NASCAR” pass-rushing front.” – Grade: B+

49ers – Patton, Quinton – WR – 6’0″ – 204 – Louisiana Tech – 83.8
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “I wasn’t alone when I thought Patton could’ve snuck into the first two rounds. Big hands that he’s able to get up both down the field and across the middle. He is physical, uses his body well and can play inside and out. Impressive pick from a team that’s had a bunch of those in this draft.” – Grade: A+

Ravens – Simon, John – DE – 6’1″ – 257 – Ohio St. – 70.5
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “Simon is smaller than Paul Kruger, but he reminds me a little bit of the player the Ravens lost this offseason. He doesn’t have a true position in either a 3-4 or a 4-3, but the Ravens have gotten where they are by finding roles and molding that type of player. A reach, in my opinion, but I hate to argue with Ozzie Newsome.” – Grade: B+

Ravens – Juszczyk, Kyle – FB – 6’1″ – 248 – Harvard – 53.7
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “A nice H-back prospect for the Ravens, who love smart, high-character players. More than just a great Scrabble play, Juszczyk is an athletic player who can catch the ball. He won’t play FB over Vonta Leach, but he’ll be a nice Swiss Army knife for Joe Flacco and that offense.” – Grade: B+

49ers – Lattimore, Marcus – RB – 5’11″ – 221 – South Carolina – 74.9
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “Goodness gracious… The Niners aren’t playing around today and grabbed a player who could end up being the best running back in this class. He’s such a fantastic talent, but leg injuries have made some question if he’ll ever make an impact. They have the ability to sit him and even put him on the IR his rookie year if he’s not healthy.” – Grade: A+

Falcons – Toilolo, Levine – TE – 6’8″ – 260 – Stanford – 66.0
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “Off of 2011 tape, Toilolo is a value pick, but some thought he could fall much later after a disappointing 2012. Tall and athletic, the Falcons will hope Tony Gonzalez rubs off on him, and Toilolo reaches some of that untapped potential.” – Grade: C+

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ROUND 5

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Seahawks – Williams, Jesse – DT – 6’3″ – 323 – Alabama – 85.5
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “Knee injuries concerned teams enough to drop him to this point, but Williams has first-round talent. He’ll end up as the “elephant” end on the Seahawks and provide a lot of nastiness to a defense that is already full of it.” – Grade: A

Seahawks – Simon, Tharold – CB – 6’2″ – 202 – LSU – 70.0
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “A tall corner? For Seattle? Consider me shocked! Simon is a perfect fit for the Seahawks defense. I think it’s a reach and he has some off-the-field concerns, but it isn’t a surprising selection.” – Grade: B

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Colts – Hughes, Montori – DT – 6’4″ – 329 – Tennessee-Martin – 68.7
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “An absolute physical specimen for a nose tackle prospect. There aren’t many people at his size and his athleticism in this draft class. If his effort level is what it should be, he could start by year two and rotate in right away.” – Grade: B+

Broncos – Smith, Quanterus – DE – 6’5″ – 250 – Western Kentucky – 75.7
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “Fantastic, athletic edge-rusher, who is a long-term upside pick for a team that needs more help on the edge. The Broncos will have some time to bring him around.” – Grade: B

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Falcons – Maponga, Stansly – DE – 6’2″ – 256 – TCU – 68.0
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “Another high-upside pass-rusher for the Falcons. Maponga is a good athlete who needs a lot of polish before he contributes at the NFL level. Had a lot of high-impact plays at college and loves to strip the football from ball-carriers.” – Grade: B-

Redskins – Thompson, Chris – RB – 5’7″ – 192 – Florida St. – 52.0
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “Not a fan of Thompson, but I’m not going to argue with the Shanahans taking a mid-round back. He has injury issues and may be a long-term project as a scatback.” – Grade: C+

Vikings – Locke, Jeff – P – 6’0″ – 209 – UCLA – #
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “Don’t know why the Vikings need a punter with Chris Kluwe around, and Locke wasn’t even my highest-ranked punter (although I know some who had him above LSU’s Brad Wing). Seems like a wasted pick.” – Grade: D+

Bengals – Hawkinson, Tanner – OT- 6’5″- 298- Kansas- 54.5
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “”Hawk” is a great athlete and will have time to develop in Cincinnati. I had him a couple rounds later, but this is an upside selection.” – Grade: B-

49ers – Dial, Quinton – DE – 6’5″ – 318 – Alabama – 55.7
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “This is a potential replacement for Justin Smith down the road. Dial is very athletic but underwhelmed at times with so much talent around him at Alabama. He’ll have the same amount of talent around him in San Francisco.” – Grade: C+

Seahawks – Willson, Luke – TE – 6’5″ – 251 – Rice – 56.9
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “Willson is a great athlete and would’ve been a top combine performer had he been invited. Rice has a history of producing good multifaceted tight ends, and Willson should have some upside down the road. Not sure I would’ve drafted him, however, let alone in the fifth.” – Grade: D

Packers – Hyde, Micah – S – 6’0″ – 197 – Iowa – 61.7
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “High-character guy with positional flexibility. He’ll end up contributing to the Green Bay Packers defense, but may always be a backup because the athleticism isn’t there.” – Grade: B-

Broncos – King, Tavarres – WR- 6’0″- 189- Georgia- 69.8
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “I like King as a prospect. He has the quickness to be a slot receiver at the next level with a little more consistent quarterbacking. Will have an uphill climb on that roster.” – Grade: C+

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Redskins – Jenkins, Brandon – DE – 6’2″ – 251 – Florida St. – 82.9
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “A great athlete with some health and production issues. So, pretty much what we’ve come to expect out of a Florida State defender. In a few years, he could make in impact. The Redskins are doing a good job adding potential playmakers, but not sure they’ll help much in 2013.” – Grade: B-

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Packers – Boyd, Josh – DT – 6’3″ – 310 – Mississippi St. – 69.8
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “A good nose tackle in college, but probably doesn’t have the size to play there at the next level. The Packers love movable pieces on their front, and Boyd has good talent.” – Grade: B

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Ravens – Wagner, Ricky – OT – 6’6″ – 308 – Wisconsin – 69.1
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “A great right tackle prospect. He’ll allow Kelechi Osemele to play guard and fits in the Ravens’ physical style of play. Love this pick and wouldn’t be surprised if he starts in his rookie year.” – Grade: A

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ROUND 6

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Broncos – Painter, Vinston – OT – 6’4″ – 306 – Virginia Tech – 51.0
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “I don’t see Painter as a starter, but he can be down the road because of his athleticism. He’s actually a converted defensive tackle and could be a late-round gem if the Broncos have some patience with him.” – Grade: C+

Texans – Quessenberry, David – OT – 6’5″ – 302 – San Jose St. – 69.2
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “A good but not great lineman who can play a few different positions. He passes the look test and has enough athleticism to succeed in the Texans’ zone-blocking scheme.” – Grade: B-

49ers – Moody, Nick – LB – 6’1″ – 236 – Florida St. – 50.0
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “Played linebacker in college but has some snaps at safety as well. I think he’ll be a long-term special teamer and a backup in the defensive backfield.” – Grade: C

Bengals – Burkhead, Rex – RB – 5’10″ – 214 – Nebraska – 56.5
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “Will probably be used as a fullback in Cincinnati and has good enough hands to help Andy Dalton as a security blanket. A productive runner, he could also see time in the backfield if BenJarvus Green-Ellis goes down.” – Grade: B

Redskins – Rambo, Bacarri – S – 6’0″ – 211 – Georgia – 61.4
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “Good in-the-box safety against the pass game, but he is inconsistent against the run and launches himself, often missing tackles against stronger ball-carriers. He’ll be good depth and a core special teams player.” – Grade: B-

Colts – Boyett, John – S – 5’10″ – 204 – Oregon – 67.5
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “Didn’t play much in 2012 thanks to a knee injury, but was incredibly productive in the previous years in Eugene. Was the Ducks’ leading tackler in 2011.” – Grade: C

Packers – Palmer, Nate – LB – 6’3″ – 240 – Illinois St. – 54.5
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “Talented pass-rusher as a linebacker and even tried out as defensive end for a few teams. Had visited the Packers earlier this year.” – Grade: C+

Seahawks – Ware, Spencer – RB – 5’10″ – 228 – LSU – 59.0
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “Fringe draftable grade on my board, but I have no idea how he sees the field on anything other than covering kicks.” – Grade: D

Texans – Bonner, Alan – WR – 5’10″ – 193 – Jacksonville St. – 50.0
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “Productive receiver from a small school who may stick as a slot receiver. Don’t see him on the roster in three years, however.” – Grade: D

Vikings – Baca, Jeff – OG – 6’3″ – 302 – UCLA – 59.7
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “A natural football player, Baca needs to spend more time in the weight room and on the practice field before he’s even a depth player for the Vikings.” – Grade: C-

Bengals – Hamilton, Cobi – WR – 6’2″ – 212 – Arkansas – 72.9
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “Big-bodied receiver who has the skills to get deep but lacks elite speed. He’ll be a fourth or fifth wide receiver depending on their skill grouping.” – Grade: B-

Texans – Jones, Chris – DT – 6’2″ – 302 – Bowling Green – 55.3
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “Will get a lot of sacks and tackles on pure effort, but he doesn’t have a lot of size or athleticism. Jones will provide good depth as a 3-4 DE.” – Grade: C-

Ravens – Lewis-Moore, Kapron – DE – 6’4″ – 298 – Notre Dame – 55.6
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “Didn’t have a draftable grade because of a recent ACL injury. He’ll be a good player down the road, but he may need to be on the IR for his entire rookie season.” – Grade: C-

Texans – Griffin, Ryan – TE – 6’6″ – 247 – Connecticut – 51.4
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “Great hands, but isn’t going to start at tight end because he’s too slight to block. The Texans have a lot of players like Griffin, so he may struggle to find snaps.” – Grade: C

Ravens – Jensen, Ryan – OT – 6’3″ – 317 – Colorado State-Pueblo – 63.1
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “I had a Round 6-7 grade on Jensen, so this is a perfect landing spot for him. He fits as a backup right tackle, but could find some snaps at guard as well.” – Grade: B-

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ROUND 7

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Vikings – Mauti, Michael – LB – 6’2″ – 243 – Penn St. – 71.8
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “Excellent pick, as Mauti could end up as the starting MLB two or three years down the road. Injuries could keep him down through his pro career, but a great talent when he’s healthy.” – Grade: A

Vikings – Bond, Travis – OG – 6’6″ – 329 – North Carolina – 54.6
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “Road grading offensive guard that fits the Vikings’ offensive system. This is another value pick and a great fit.” – Grade: B+

Packers – Johnson, Charles – WR – 6’2″ – 215 – Grand Valley St. – 50.4
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “A big receiver (6’2″ 215) with good over-the-shoulder catching. Was very productive at a small level. Great upside, but it’s a numbers game on that Packers roster.” – Grade: B

Seahawks – Seymour, Ryan – G – 6’5″ – 300 – Vanderbilt – 50.2
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “Productive lineman who played both guard and center for Vandy, he’ll end up as a long-term backup in the NFL.” – Grade: C+

Packers – Dorsey, Kevin – WR – 6’3″ – 210 – Maryland – 50.1
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “Big receiver with great hands. Dorsey didn’t have a draftable grade, but this is the kind of time where teams like the Packers just need to make sure that they don’t let their targets get to free agency.” – Grade: C-

Patriots – Buchanan, Michael – DE – 6’5″ – 255 – Illinois – 69.5
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “Terrific value for a team that can seriously use more pass-rushes. Buchanan was one of my favorite players at the Senior Bowl and I could see him contributing very quickly for the Patriots.” – Grade: A

Redskins – Jamison, Jawan – RB – 5’7″ – 203 – Rutgers – 71.0
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “A good fit for the Redskins because of his one-cut running ability. He’s short, but not a very shifty runner.” – Grade: B-

Vikings – Dawkins, Everett – DT – 6’2″ – 292 – Florida St. – 71.4
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “Great athlete but a marginal player because Dawkins plays with little-to-no instincts. This is a great upside pick for a seventh rounder.” – Grade: A-

Colts – Williams, Kerwynn – RB – 5’8″ – 195 – Utah St. – 56.7
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “Short back, but thickly built, Williams reminds me of a poor man’s Ray Rice. Very productive and could see some burn this season for the Colts.” – Grade: B+

Seahawks – Powell, Ty – DE – 6’2″ – 249 – Harding – 68.0
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “This is incredible value and fit for a player who played at all three levels of the defense in college. Freakish athlete who could end up as a top player wherever the Seahawks play him.” – Grade: A-

Packers – Barrington, Sam – LB – 6’1″ – 246 – South Florida – 53.0
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “Didn’t have a draftable grade on Barrington and I think he’s a better fit in a 4-3. Decent pass rusher and very athletic but better in pursuit and against the run.” – Grade: C+

Broncos – Dysert, Zac – QB – 6’3″ – 231 – Miami (OH) – 83.5
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “Awesome value here for Dysert. Needs a ton of polish with his footwork, but he offers as much upside as Brock Osweiler. It will be a great competition once Peyton Manning retires.” – Grade: A-

Patriots – Beauharnais, Steve – LB – 6’1″ – 240 – Rutgers – 60.3
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “An average athlete, but a better linebacker—Beauharnais will fit in New England because he can play SLB in their 4-3 and ILB in their 3-4. Love him downhill against the run.” – Grade: B+

49ers – Daniels, B.J. – QB – 6’0″ – 217 – South Florida – 50.0
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “Not a very talented passer, but room to grow with an above-average arm. He’ll probably have to cut his teeth as a practice squad player, but he works as a back up to Colin Kaepernick.” – Grade: D+

Ravens – Mellette, Aaron – WR – 6’2″ – 217 – Elon – 61.0
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “Mellette has a great body control and decent hands but needs more speed and route-running polish before he’s a productive player.” – Grade: C-

Bengaks- Fragel, Reid – OT – 6’8″ – 308 – Ohio St. – 77.0
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “Another athletic lineman and a player who easily could have gone two or three rounds higher. Fragel will be a great player in two or three years and could end up as the right tackle of the future.” – Grade: A-

Seahawks- Smith, Jared – DT – 6’3″ – 302 – New Hampshire – 52.1
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “Another big lineman, Smith didn’t have a draftable grade on my board because he’s a below average athlete. Still, he’s got a lot of hustle that could easily keep him on the edge of an NFL roster as he acclimates to the NFL.” – Grade: C+

Seahawks- Bowie, Michael – OT – 6’5″ – 330 – NE Oklahoma St. – 50.0
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “This is a developmental right tackle pick who was an D2 Honorable Mention All-American. He played well at the Raycom All-Star Classic.” – Grade: B-

Falcons- Ishmael, Kemal – DB – 5’11″ – 206 – Central Florida – 50.0
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “Central Florida’s all-time leading tackler, I could see Ismael as a core special teamer for a long time.” – Grade: C+

Falcons- Motta, Zeke – S – 6’2″ – 213 – Notre Dame – 71.2
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “Motta is an underrated prospect and a typical Falcons high-character pick. Don’t see him as being more than a special teamer because he doesn’t have NFL athleticism.” – Grade: C

49ers- Bykowski, Carter – OT – 6’6″ – 306 – Iowa St. – #
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “A lumberer, Bykowski is a right tackle only. I expected him to be a big target in undrafted free agency because he’s a tough player with strong hands.” – Grade: B+

Ravens- Anthony, Marc – CB – 5’11″ – 196 – California – 68.3
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “A great nickleback prospect, I’m surprised Anthony wasn’t drafted in the fifth round. He’ll see the field on special teams this year and in subpackages starting in 2013.” – Grade: A-

Falcons- Renfree, Sean – QB – 6’3″ – 219 – Duke – 52.0
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “This is excellent value and I had a sixth-round grade on the David Cutcliffe-trained prospect. He and Connor Vernon set all sorts of records at Duke and Renfree should step up as a No. 2 QB for the Falcons.” – Grade: A-

Bengaks- Johnson, T.J. – C – 6’4″ – 310 – South Carolina – 59.0
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “ohnson was one of my last players with a draftable grade. Johnson is a smart player but doesn’t always play with that intelligence. He has the ability to make line calls, but his footwork and hand placement need a lot of work.” – Grade: B+

49ers- Cooper, Marcus – CB – 6’2″ – 192 – Rutgers – 50.2
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “Another Rutgers corner with a bunch of size, Cooper has enough talent to play down the road, but needs to work on his balance in and out of his breaks. He could play safety as well.” – Grade: B-

Colts- Cunningham, Justice – TE – 6’3″ – 258 – South Carolina – 63.0
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “Cunningham is a good fit for Mr. Irrelevant and could see some time as a third tight end for the Indianapolis Colts because he is such a great blocker.” – Grade: B+

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2013 NFL Draft Picks – Rounds 2 & 3

Click HERE to view results of ROUND 1.

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ROUND 2

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Jaguars – Cyprien, John – FS – 6’0″ – 217 – Florida International – 90.6
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “Great opening pick for the Jaguars as they get a big, strong and physical safety to set the tone for their defense. I question if Cyprien will be great in deep coverage at the next level, because it is not something he’s done a lot of in college. However, he’s got the athleticism to be fantastic in that regard. In the box, though, he’s the best safety in the draft.” – Grade: A

Titans – Hunter, Justin – WR – 6’4″ – 196 – Tennessee – 81.8
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “I’ve been pumping the need for another receiver in Tennessee for a while, and it’s shaping up to be a fantastic draft for Jake Locker who needs some assistance on the offensive side of the ball. Now, with Chance Warmack and Andy Levitre on the interior and Hunter joining Kendall Wright on the outside, the Titans should be able to do a lot more than just run Chris Johnson to death.” – Grade: A-

Eagles – Ertz, Zach – TE – 6’5″ – 249 – Stanford – 82.2
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “Awesome fit for Ertz in Chip Kelly’s offense! He’s a sub-par blocker, but on the move, Ertz might be the best pure matchup threat in this draft class. He’ll be able to bust the seam and give extra room for the receivers on the outside. He doesn’t really replace Brent Celek, but is a fantastic complement that will see a lot of targets.” – Grade: A

Lions – Slay, Darius – CB – 6’0″ – 192 – Mississippi St. – 71.0
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “Huge reach for the Lions and it’s not even at a position that is their greatest need. Slay steps in as the No. 2 cornerback on the roster and is a tall, lean prospect who isn’t going to be able to press as much as the Lions would like. Fantastic athlete, but needs to be a much better football player to prove he’s anything other than a huge reach at the top of Round 2.” – Grade: B-

Bengals – Bernard, Giovani – RB – 5’8″ – 202 – North Carolina – 84.0
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “Bernard is a great complement to Benjarvus Green-Ellis who is a tough runner while Bernard has great vision and fantastic quicks in the open field. He’ll join Tyler Eifert (their first-round pick) in giving the Bengals a much more dynamic offense in 2013. Eddie Lacy is the better back in my opinion. Johnathan Franklin might be better as well, but Bernard is a great fit for the Bengals.” – Grade: B+

Chargers – Te’o, Manti – LB – 6’1″ – 241 – Notre Dame – 87.5
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “Solid pick for the Chargers, though I’m not sure it was necessary to trade up to get him with other talented linebackers still on the board (Kevin Minter from LSU, for example). Te’o has limited upside in the NFL, but can be very good with his football intelligence and his quick reaction time. The steps he loses in terms of athleticism, he makes up for diagnosing plays quicker than anyone in this class.” – Grade: A-

Jets – Smith, Geno – QB – 6’2″ – 218 – West Virginia – 88.0
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “EJ Manuel might have more raw physical tools, but Geno Smith is the best quarterback in this draft class. The Jets should immediately start accepting low-ball offers for the rest of the QBs on their roster, because this is their franchise passer for the next decade. He offers more athleticism, arm strength and accuracy than Mark Sanchez and is a fantastic fit for a short-range, timing offense.” – Grade: A+

49ers – Carradine, Cornellius – DE – 6’4″ – 276 – Florida St. – 85.4
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “The 49ers need another pass-rusher and Tank Carradine is a great addition. While he’ll spend a lot of time out on the edge, he can also put his hand down in the 3-4 as a rotational player on passing downs. He was the best pure pass-rusher on the board and is going to look great as a piece to that Pro Bowl-player-laden defense.” – Grade: A

Bills – Woods, Robert – WR – 6’0″ – 201 – USC – 83.1
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “Woods is a prototypical high-end No. 2 receiver with good (but not great) hands, and the ability to take over games—although, had he done so more often at USC, he’d have gone last night. The fit is great next to Stevie Johnson in an offense that is going to look to get vertical early and often.” – Grade: A

Raiders – Watson, Menelik – OT – 6’5″ – 310 – Florida St. – 85.0
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “Watson was the best offensive tackle left on a lot of boards and gives the Raiders a lot of flexibility on their offensive line. Look for them to keep Jared Veldheer at left tackle until Watson is healthy and eventually play the two side-by-side for a great blindside tandem.” – Grade: A

Buccaneers – Banks, Johnthan – CB – 6’2″ – 185 – Mississippi St. – 84.4
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “I think there are better uses for a first pick than a No. 2 cornerback, but the Buccaneers clearly wanted to upgrade their defensive backfield this season. This pick moves Eric Wright to his rightful role in subpackages and gives the Buccaneers a lot more freedom to blitz and manufacture some pressure on opposing quarterbacks in the NFC South.” – Grade: A-

Panthers – Short, Kawann – DT – 6’3″ – 299 – Purdue – 80.6
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “Wow, some Panthers fans might not be happy with doubling down on defensive tackles, but this is a great pickup and a fantastic fit next to Star Lotulelei. Luke Kuechly is a happy man this evening as he’ll have room to maneuver with two stud tackles in front of him. In a division with so much offensive talent, this is a defining pickup for the Panthers.” – Grade: A

Cardinals – Minter, Kevin – LB – 6’0″ – 246 – LSU – 84.0
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “Great value and fit for the draft’s best interior linebacker. I question the need, however, as the Cardinals’ defense wasn’t the problem last season. This is a best player available pick and he should be good, so I’m not criticizing too much. Yet, the grade is a little lower than perfect because there were other needs to be filled.” – Grade: A-

Bills – Alonso, Kiko – LB- 6’3″- 238- Oregon- 67.1
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “This is a high-upside pick with plenty of room to be a huge bust. Mostly a blitzer up the middle, Alonso will look great behind that Bills defensive line and give quarterbacks something to worry about when they step up in the pocket.” – Grade: A-

Cowboys – Escobar, Gavin – TE – 6’6″ – 254 – San Diego St. – 79.0
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “Escobar is going to be a great weapon in the Cowboys offense, but Jerry Jones needs to be removed from the room before Tony Romo finds a sharp object. How does anyone expect Romo to deliver the ball to these weapons with zero interior blocking – save a huge reach at center – and a right tackle that consistently does a great turnstile impression?” – Grade: B

Steelers – Bell, Le’Veon – RB – 6’1″ – 230 – Michigan St. – 71.2
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “This would be a terrible pick if not for the need and the fit in the Steelers’ physical offense. The Steelers needed a back, and Bell fits their physical style. Still, he’s not even close to the best back on the board and this will probably be a pick they end up regretting.” – Grade: B

Giants – Hankins, Johnathan – DT – 6’3″ – 320 – Ohio St. – 83.6
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “Love this pick for the Giants as they struggled to get pressure up the middle last season. On a defense that is predicated around pressure, that’s a huge reason they weren’t able to get back to the playoffs. Hankins will provide pocket-collapsing pressure up the middle and allow the ends to be a lot more productive.” – Grade: A

Bears – Bostic, Jon – LB – 6’1″ – 245 – Florida – 62.2
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “This is Brian Urlacher’s replacement? He’s not going to make anyone forget about Urlacher, but he’ll be a terrific run-stopper in the middle of the Bears defense and is a clear sign that the middle linebacker in Chicago won’t spend as much time in coverage as the position used to.” – Grade: B+

Redskins – Amerson, David – CB – 6’1″ – 205 – N.C. State – 74.4
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “After trading up for Robert Griffin III last year, the Redskins defense was a year behind and needs to add a bunch of talent on every level if they want to keep up with the trajectory of their offense. Amerson is a reach in my opinion, but he’s a prospect the Redskins know well who can be a huge steal if he plays like he did in 2011. His 2012 tape, however, says that he should’ve gone a round later.” – Grade: A-

Patriots – Collins, Jamie – LB – 6’3″ – 250 – Southern Miss – 68.8
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “This pick makes a lot of sense for the Patriots, and Collins is a player I really like. He fits their hybrid scheme and will play both end and outside linebacker. He’ll help the Patriots’ pass rush almost immediately.” – Grade: A

Bengals – Hunt, Margus – DE – 6’8″ – 277 – SMU – 75.4
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “The Bengals already have a great front-four and could’ve used this pick on a number of defensive back prospects. Instead, they get a player without a real position in their defense who will need to find either a great weight-gain plan to become an interior rusher or learn to get lower as he rushes around the edge.” – Grade: B-

Dolphins – Taylor, Jamar – CB – 5’11″ – 192 – Boise St. – 85.5
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “The Dolphins needed another cornerback after Sean Smith left, and Taylor had a higher grade on my board than Desmond Trufant or Johnathan Banks. He’s physical, athletic and has great ball skills. He’s been one of my favorite players since the Senior Bowl, and Dolphins fans will learn to love him as well.” – Grade: A

49ers – McDonald, Vance – TE – 6’4″ – 267 – Rice – 76.0
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “A No. 2 tight end might seem like a bit of a luxury, but the 49ers love the dual-tight end set and lost Delanie Walker this offseason. While many projected Zach Ertz to the Niners earlier, McDonald is the better blocker and more of an H-back who can line up at multiple positions. Great pick.” – Grade: B+

Ravens – Brown, Arthur – LB – 6’0″ – 241 – Kansas St. – 90.3
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “Wow, the rich get richer! This is a great player to take over for Ray Lewis and a player who fell down draft boards for really no good reason—much like Lewis did when they drafted him. This is terrific value, and he already looks great in purple.” – Grade: A+

Texans – Swearinger, D.J. – S – 5’10″ – 208 – South Carolina – 81.4
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “This is the Texans’ starting strong safety in 2014 and beyond as Ed Reed continues to decline. Until then, this is a great depth pick and Swearinger will probably end up playing in nickle and dime packages – as well as on special teams.” – Grade: A-

Broncos – Ball, Montee – RB – 5’10″ – 214 – Wisconsin – 75.6
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “The Broncos needed a bell cow this offseason and Ball is a true workhorse. (Mixed zoological metaphors for the win!) Ball won’t see a ton of carries in the Peyton Manning-led offense, but when Ball gets the ball, he’ll deliver.” – Grade: A

Patriots – Dobson, Aaron – WR – 6’3″ – 210 – Marshall – 71.7
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “Dobson isn’t the highest receiver left on my board, but this is a terrific pick. It’s also one I’ve made for the Patriots in quite a few mocks. Dobson is a great down-the-field receiver and has great hands and body control. He’ll become what Brandon Lloyd was supposed to be.” – Grade: A

Falcons – Alford, Robert – CB – 5’10″ – 188 – Southeastern Louisiana – 81.0
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “The Falcons draft board must have been someone’s defensive back rankings, because they’re adamant at shoring it up at all costs. Alford is a solid player with decent upside. He won’t start until 2014 (if then), and the Falcons have bigger needs. Still, love the player and his ball skills.” – Grade: A-

Packers – Lacy, Eddie – RB – 5’11″ – 231 – Alabama – 82.0
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “The Packers will never ask Lacy to carry the ball as much as Nick Saban did, and the only reason Lacy fell is because teams were worried he had already worn too much tread off of his tires. This is a great value as I had this exact pick in my last mock draft… in the first round.” – Grade: A+

Seahawks – Michael, Christine – RB – 5’10″ – 220 – Texas A&M – 71.4
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “Can’t believe Johnathan Franklin wasn’t the pick here if it was going to be a back. Also, this shouldn’t have been a back. With Marshawn Lynch and Robert Turbin, adding a speedster might be intriguing, but the Seahawks have much bigger needs on offense. The redeeming quality here is that Michael is a great fit in the zone-blocking scheme. Otherwise, I wouldn’t want any part of him. He has poor vision and will often grab big chunks of yardage in one play, but run into tackles the rest of his carries.” – Grade: C+

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ROUND 3

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Chiefs – Kelce, Travis – TE – 6’5″ – 255 – Cincinnati – 80.0
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “This is a pick I’ve had mocked to the Chiefs at the end of the third round, but it works here because tight ends went off the board a little earlier than expected. Honestly, the only reason Kelce wasn’t drafted higher is because of off-the-field issues. He reminds me of Brent Celek who played under Andy Reid in Philadelphia.” – Grade: A-

Jaguars – Gratz, Dwayne – CB – 5’11″ – 201 – Connecticut – 62.1
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “There’s no mystery here about what the Jacksonville Jaguars are trying to do. Another big, strong defensive back to help emulate what the Seattle Seahawks have built under Pete Carroll. The scheme is set and the fit is fantastic. Gratz picked up steam after the combine and it’s no surprise the Jaguars coveted him. Things are looking up in Northern Florida.” – Grade: A

Lions – Warford, Larry – OG – 6’3″ – 332 – Kentucky – 88.3
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “Great pickup for the Lions as many considered this a possible target for a round earlier. Warford shines on tape, but opened a lot of eyes at the Senior Bowl when he was one of the most agile offensive linemen and did extremely well throughout the week. He’ll step right in at RG and start from day one.” – Grade: A

Raiders – Moore, Sio – LB – 6’1″ – 245 – Connecticut – 68.4
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “Moore will provide a huge upgrade to the Raiders pass rush from the linebacker position. He’ll need some help over the top in coverage and is a work-in-progress against the run, but in terms of pressuring the quarterbacks of the AFC West, this is a great selection.” – Grade: A

Eagles – Logan, Bennie – DT – 6’2″ – 309 – LSU – 78.7
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “I know a lot of media analysts that had Logan higher than I did, but I think this is a serious reach for the Eagles. As they switch to a 3-4 defense, however, this is a great fit. Logan can play both nose tackle and defensive end.” – Grade: B

Browns – McFadden, Leon – CB – 5’10″ – 193 – San Diego St. – 80.7
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “Good pick for the Browns who need a corner opposite Joe Haden pretty badly. Along with Barkevious Mingo from the first round, McFadden will help shore up a Browns defense that was already taking big strides last year and had a good free agency period. McFadden will also likely return kicks.” – Grade: B+

Cardinals – Mathieu, Tyrann – CB – 5’9″ – 186 – LSU – 73.0
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “You play to win your division and the Cardinals just got a great player to track down the newest St. Louis Rams weapon – Tavon Austin. Mathieu is a nickle corner. He will not be anything more than that. Yet, in an NFL that utilizes a slot receiver more and more, Mathieu might as well be considered a starter. If he keeps his nose clean, he can be great.” – Grade: A-

Titans – Wreh-Wilson, Blidi – CB – 6’1″ – 195 – Connecticut – 77.2
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “The Titans didn’t desperately need a corner, but with the additions they’ve made on the offensive side of the ball already in this draft, a depth pick on defense is understandable. Wreh-Wilson had a third-round grade on my board. He’s tall and has great skills in zone coverage.” – Grade: A-

Rams – McDonald, T.J. – FS – 6’2″ – 219 – USC – 66.5
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “While Rams fans likely wanted a safety earlier, McDonald is a great pick here. Jeff Fisher will send him heading downhill where McDonald is a vicious hitter. He’s a little stiff in coverage, but he’s a perfect in-the-box safety for a team with lots of good ball skills in the secondary.” – Grade: A

Jets – Winters, Brian – OG – 6’4″ – 320 – Kent St. – 71.1
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “Winters isn’t one of my favorite players in the draft, but after Warford he was the best guard available and the Jets need some help on the right side of the line. They’ll look to run early and often behind Winters who should step in as a starter right away at either guard or possibly tackle.” – Grade: A-

Buccaneers – Glennon, Mike – QB – 6’7″ – 225 – N.C. State – 79.4
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “Glennon will get his shot to compete with Josh Freeman who lives in Greg Schiano’s doghouse. There is a bunch of offensive talent and Glennon has the arm (if not the decision making or accuracy) to make big plays.” – Grade: B+

Cowboys – Williams, Terrance – WR – 6’2″ – 208 – Baylor – 83.6
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “Seriously, Jerry Jones? Stop. Just stop. This is a terrible pick on a team with so many offensive weapons already. It’s proof that Jones shouldn’t be scouting tape and he certainly shouldn’t be making personnel decisions. Get a real lineman – one that you’re not reaching two rounds for. Williams is going to get lost in the shuffle as the Cowboys’ third (or fourth) receiver.” – Grade: C-

Saints – Armstead, Terron – OT – 6’5″ – 306 – Arkansas-Pine Bluff – 84.0
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “This wasn’t a need pick for the Saints who are OK at left tackle, but Armstead could easily overtake Charles Brown by 2014. He’s a freak athlete who should be a plus pass-protector at the next level. He dominated everything in the pre-draft process – a must for small-school prospects.” – Grade: A-

Chargers – Allen, Keenan – WR – 6’2″ – 206 – California – 86.3
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “Huge pick for the Chargers as they get a position they need with a player who had a fringe first-round grade on a lot of people’s boards. On my personal list, he was my top wideout. He fell because of some lingering injury issues, but when healthy, he can be a stud in this offense. He’s a possession receiver with enough ball skills to still be a great target downfield.” – Grade: A

Dolphins – Thomas, Dallas – OT – 6’5″ – 300 – Tennessee – 82.7
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “The Dolphins certainly needed a lineman in this draft, but I’m worried that Thomas is too slow-footed and too much of a tweener to really separate himself from the pack. At best, he could start for the Dolphins by 2014 at either guard or tackle. At worst, he’s an NFL journeyman who will consistently be a liability.” – Grade: B+

Bills – Goodwin, Marquise – WR – 5’9″ – 183 – Texas – 68.5
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “Love Marquise Goodwin as a prospect because he’s not just a deep threat with his speed. While that’s really all he did at Texas other than a bunch of designed runs, he has the polish to run a decent crossing route and can leave defenders in his dust once the ball is in his hands. Adding a player with Goodwin’s speed was a luxury after taking Robert Woods, but this offense should be fun to watch in 2014 and beyond.” – Grade: B+

Steelers – Wheaton, Markus – WR – 5’11″ – 189 – Oregon St. – 81.8
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “I had WR as a need for the Steelers and a second-round grade on Wheaton. This is a great pick and he fits with the receiver pieces the Steelers already have. While Emmanuel Sanders and Antonio Brown head deep, Wheaton should dominate the middle of the field. He’ll start over one of those two sooner rather than later.” – Grade: A

Cowboys – Wilcox, J.J. – FS – 6’0″ – 213 – Georgia Southern – 77.0
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “OK, I’ve been ragging on Jerry Jones, but this is a solid pick—if a bit of a reach. Wilcox has the athleticism (but not the acquired skills) to cover the deep middle and is extremely physical. He shined during Senior Bowl practices and has a lot of upside. Will not be an immediate impact player, however.” – Grade: B+

Giants – Moore, Damontre – DE – 6’4″ – 250 – Texas A&M – 87.9
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “Oh, look… another pass-rusher for the New York Giants. Like I said with their last selection, they couldn’t get as much pressure as they wanted last season, so this is an understandable pick on a team that has the time to bring Moore along slowly and plenty of mentors to teach him the finer points of pass-rushing.” – Grade: A

Saints – Jenkins, John – DT – 6’4″ – 346 – Georgia – 81.3
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “One of my favorite picks of Day 2. This is the starting nose tackle for the Saints new 3-4 – possibly for the next decade. As the pivot point, Jenkins is going to make life a lot easier for just about everyone on the Saints defense.” – Grade: A

Patriots – Ryan, Logan – CB – 5’11″ – 191 – Rutgers – 69.0
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “The Patriots need depth at cornerback and Ryan has the potential to become a starter for them down the road. As a tall, physical player, Bill Belichick may be tempted to move him to safety.” – Grade: B+

Bengals – Williams, Shawn – S – 6’0″ – 213 – Georgia – 74.8
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “It’s a really deep safety class and the Bengals reached for a player I wouldn’t have touched for another round or more. I don’t think he cracks the starting lineup and will have to contribute on special teams early on.” – Grade: B

Redskins – Reed, Jordan – TE – 6’2″ – 236 – Florida – 80.5
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “Don’t understand this pick for the Redskins as tight end might never be a focal point for their offense and Logan Paulsen was more-than-adequate with Fred Davis sidelined. It fits, because Reed is a lot like Davis as a matchup threat, but I don’t see him getting a lot of burn in Washington. They had much bigger needs. ” – Grade: B-

Colts – Thornton, Hugh – OG – 6’3″ – 320 – Illinois – 67.9
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “The Colts need a lot of offensive line help, and this is a good fit. While I think this is a really big reach, Thornton has more value for zone-blocking teams and should be able to play sooner rather than later because of the fit.” – Grade: B+

Seahawks – Hill, Jordan – DT – 6’1″ – 303 – Penn St. – 64.6
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “Good pick here for the Seahawks as they look to rotate heavily with flexible pieces along the defensive line. Hill has enough talent that he could easily start as the 1-Tech tackle early on in his career.” – Grade: B+

49ers – Lemonier, Corey – DE – 6’3″ – 255 – Auburn – 71.2
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “Complete luxury pick so the grade drops even though I’m a huge fan of the selection. The 49ers traded up to get another fantastic pass-rusher who can rotate in and put a ton of pressure on the NFC West passers. The Niners are having one of the best drafts this year.” – Grade: B+

Texans – Williams, Brennan – OT – 6’6″ – 318 – North Carolina – 71.0
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “It’s a complete reach, but this is probably the right tackle of the future for the Texans. Great fit in the zone-blocking scheme and he has enough athletic upside to be that guy in year two.” – Grade: B+

Broncos – Webster, Kayvon – CB – 5’10″ – 195 – South Florida – 52.0
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “This is a pretty big reach for an athletic defensive back prospect who may or may not start at any point in his career. I had a draftable grade on Webster, but as a long-term backup. He has the athletic tools, and one can see how cut he is, but he’s not beating out Rahim Moore or any of the cornerbacks.” – Grade: C

Patriots – Harmon, Duron – S – 6’1″ – 200 – Rutgers – 50.3
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “Of course New England was going to take a defensive back that most of us have never heard of. Harmon has good size and can run, but they could’ve gotten him rounds later – if not after the draft.” – Grade: D+

Rams – Bailey, Stedman – WR – 5’10″ – 193 – West Virginia – 79.0
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “Tavon Austin and Stedman Bailey? I’m now a St. Louis Rams fan. Great pick and Sam Bradford is going to have a lot of fun getting the ball to these two in the open field.” – Grade: A-

Dolphins – Davis, Will – CB – 5’11″ – 186 – Utah St. – 71.0
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “This pick has all the markings of a player that the Dolphins were thinking about with an earlier pick and were surprised he was falling. I have a fringe-starter grade on Davis, but he’s a good press-corner and physical like the Dolphins like. It’s a great landing spot.” – Grade: B

Ravens – Williams, Brandon – DT – 6’1″ – 335 – Missouri Southern St. – 73.1
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “Another amazing pick for Ozzie Newsome, grabbing a player that introduced himself to the world at the Senior Bowl. Williams sent hundreds of media and scouts back to look for tape on him. He’s a classic one-gapper and will rotate in on the Ravens’ defensive line until he grows into the NFL starter he’s capable of being.” – Grade: A-

Texans – Montgomery, Sam – DE – 6’3″ – 262 – LSU – 71.4
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “The Texans need to get more pass-rushers aside from J.J. Watt, and Montgomery has as much upside as anyone on the board. He’ll need to be pushed, but there are plenty of great mentors on that Texans team. This is a best-case scenario for his landing spot.” – Grade: A-

Chiefs – Davis, Knile – RB – 5’10″ – 227 – Arkansas – 60.4
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “Yeesh…I had Davis as a Round 7 target because his injury history is so extensive that it is a risk to take him much earlier. If healthy, he can contribute, but the Chiefs have a bunch of other needs and could’ve gotten a productive backup runner that wasn’t such a gamble later.” – Grade: C+

Titans – Gooden, Zaviar – LB – 6’1″ – 234 – Missouri – 70.0
Michael Schottey’s pick analysis: “I had a third-round grade on Gooden who fits the Titans as a weak-side linebacker. Since they already have Zach Brown, this is a bit of a duplication. However, Gooden can back up a number of linebacker positions and be a great special teamer. Love the player – good depth pick.” – Grade: B+

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Click HERE to view results of ROUNDS 4 THROUGH 7.

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Obama Shafts Poor And Minority Seniors Again

Obama Shafts Poor And Minority Seniors Again – American Spectator

If President Obama’s rhetoric on domestic policy can be said to have a coherent theme, it involves his desire to use government to create a level playing field in which no single segment of the electorate enjoys unfair advantages or suffers disproportionate disadvantages in the pursuit of happiness. He is particularly concerned, he tells us, that the “rich” pay their fair share while poor and minority Americans receive their just due. Somehow, though, every policy decision made by his administration seems to tilt the playing field against the latter.

The latest example of this curious phenomenon can be found in the recent announcement by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) that it plans to cut an extra 2.2 percent from the Medicare Advantage (MA) program. This new cut, which came as a surprise to everyone except Obama’s health care commissars, will be added to the $200 billion in cuts Obamacare has already mandated for MA. What does this have to with low-income and minority seniors? The administration’s new Medicare cuts will come directly out of their pockets.

MA is a health coverage vehicle created for seniors as part of the Medicare Modernization Act of 2003. It permits private health plans to provide Medicare coverage to seniors and requires these carriers to compete with one another for the business of retired Americans looking for an affordable alternative to traditional fee-for-service Medicare. One of the ways in which MA plans compete is by offering comprehensive coverage that requires low out-of-pocket expenses, a feature that would obviously appeal to anyone on a modest fixed income.

It will come as no surprise, then, that every serious study of MA has shown the program to be increasingly popular among low-income and minority seniors. Unfortunately, the Obama administration’s surprise rate cuts amount to an old fashioned bait-and-switch. The MA plans are already taking a huge hit pursuant to Obamacare’s $200 billion cut, and they will be unable to absorb these newest slashes in the program without passing at least some of the costs to the patients in the form of increased co-pays and deductibles.

And it is by no means an exaggeration to say that these extra out-of-pocket costs will hit the seniors who can least afford them. America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP), a trade group to which many MA carriers belong, recently issued a report confirming that reality: “Sixty-one (61) percent of all minority (nonwhite) beneficiaries enrolled in Medicare Advantage in 2011 had incomes of $20,000 or less; 59 percent of African-American and 75 percent of Hispanic Medicare Advantage beneficiaries had incomes of $20,000 or less.”

Considering the percentage of Hispanic beneficiaries that will be affected, it is not surprising that the CMS announcement elicited a quick and unfavorable response from Senator Marco Rubio. And last Friday, a bipartisan group of more than 90 House members joined Georgia Democrat John Barrow and Louisiana Republican Bill Cassidy in demanding that CMS abandon the cuts: “This reduction in funding will leave many vulnerable seniors with fewer benefits, higher out-of-pocket costs, and in some cases the loss of their current MA coverage.”

It will indeed. As AHIP reminds us, “The Congressional Budget Office projects that the reform law’s payment cuts alone will result in three million fewer people enrolled in Medicare Advantage.” The group goes on to point out that Obamacare is already expected to increase the out-of-pocket expenses endured by MA enrollees: “Actuaries at Oliver Wyman estimate that the health insurance tax will result in seniors facing $220 in higher out-of-pocket costs and reduced benefits next year and $3,500 in additional costs over the next ten years.”

Why is an administration allegedly committed to “fairness” and preventing the evil Republicans from “ending Medicare as we know it” proposing such Draconian cuts? In addition to the President’s absurd belief that he can fix Medicare’s gigantic unfunded liability by such cuts, there is his capitalism “problem.” That MA has made successful use of free market competition is anathema to his socialistic view of economics and undermines his primary justification for imposing a government-run health care system on the country.

So, Medicare Advantage has to be slowly throttled to death, regardless of the harm done to the most vulnerable people in our society. If low-income seniors must pay higher Medicare deductibles, that’s just the breaks. If African-American and Hispanic seniors are herded back to traditional Medicare against their will, so be it. Obama’s CMS bureaucrats don’t put it that way, of course. Their announcement suggests they feel for their victims: “We appreciate that plans are facing several legislatively mandated changes affecting payment for 2014.”

They will, of course, “solicit comment on ways to modify requirements to improve opportunities for administrative efficiencies while improving delivery of care.” But, in the end, they will respond to such comments just as they responded to the avalanche of protests they received concerning the contraception mandate – they will disregard them. Obama and his apparatchiks believe they own the playing field, and they plan to tilt it until the nation has been fundamentally transformed.

Click HERE For Rest Of Story

Keystone Pipeline Has Been Under Review For More Than Twice As Long As It Would Take To Build It

Gerard And McGarvey: Now Is the Time For The Keystone XL Pipeline – Roll Call

The State Department is expected to release a draft environmental impact statement of the Keystone XL pipeline soon. All signs indicate this new report will echo the findings of previous federal reviews and conclude the project is environmentally sound.

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With the governor of Nebraska having approved a new route for the pipeline through his state, this report removes what should be the final barrier to the president’s approval of this critical project. No single policy decision would be more effective at delivering what the American public says it wants most from Washington: new jobs and economic growth.

And support for the project continues to grow. A poll released Feb. 13 by Harris Interactive shows that 69 percent of registered voters support building the pipeline. What’s more, a bipartisan group of 53 senators – led by John Hoeven, R-N.D., and Max Baucus, D-Mont. – sent a letter to the president last month urging him to immediately authorize the project in light of the governor’s decision. That letter was followed by a similar bipartisan letter signed by 146 members of the House.

Approval of the full Keystone XL pipeline would connect Canadian crude oil and new production from America’s upper plains states to state-of-the-art refineries on the American Gulf Coast. At full capacity, it would transport 830,000 barrels per day.

The application for approval has been under review by the U.S. government for more than four years, far longer than any other cross-border pipeline project and more than twice as long as it would take to build the pipeline.

Economic benefits of Keystone XL are clear. The project will generate thousands of new jobs, both in the actual construction of the pipeline and in supporting industries such as manufacturing, logistics, lodging and dining. While the national unemployment rate hovers around 8 percent, unemployment in the construction industry is a staggering 16.1 percent. Keystone XL will immediately allow thousands of the safest, most highly trained workers to begin building this state-of-the-art pipeline.

The State Department’s analysis acknowledges that Keystone XL will have “a degree of safety greater than” similar projects. In addition, Transcanada has agreed to 57 special conditions above and beyond those required by law, demonstrating a commitment to safely and responsibly constructing and operating this important energy infrastructure project.

National security will also be enhanced as the Keystone XL and other pipeline projects strengthen our energy partnership with Canada. Together with significant increases in U.S. production, North America will not only be more energy secure itself but will also be in a position to positively influence global energy demands.

Jobs, economic growth, energy security, national security. It’s no wonder so many newspaper editorials, members of Congress and other influential voices are calling on the president to approve this vital project. And no wonder that the leadership of America’s building trades unions and the oil and natural gas industry have joined to call for the same.

Click HERE For Rest Of Story

*LIVE STREAMING* Navy SEAL Chris Kyle Memorial – 02/11/13 (2pm ET)

LIVE STREAMING FOR THIS EVENT HAS ENDED.

CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO FOOTAGE OF THE MEMORIAL SERVICE.

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………………..Click on the image above to watch the stream.

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*LIVE STREAMING* New England Blizzard – Nemo (02/08/13)

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It’s gonna be a harsh one, folks. Up here on the Maine coast we were already getting light snow all day from a different storm out of the north. By midnight we’re supposed to be getting over 2 inches an hour out of the southwest, and that may continue until Saturday afternoon. Expecting over 2 feet in total!

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*LIVE STREAMING* Super Bowl XLVII – Baltimore Vs. San Francisco (02/03/13 – 6:30pm ET)

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Web Of Environmental Rules Threatens Gulf Coast Businesses With Jail, Steep Fines

Web Of Environmental Rules Threatens Gulf Coast Businesses With Jail, Steep Fines – Fox News

When Burt Rico was caught using a deer feeder equipped with lights while hunting in Louisiana, he was slapped with a $1,051 fine and sentenced to 60 days in jail. He was cited for hunting without a big-game license, failing to wear hunter orange and hunting deer with an artificial light.

Until he was cited, he didn’t know he had done anything wrong, he claims.

Rico’s case isn’t an isolated one. According to a new report by the Texas Public Policy Foundation, thousands of people are being prosecuted for environmental crimes every day they didn’t know were even on the books. They’ve been threatened, fined and thrown in jail. The trend is especially prominent along the Gulf Coast, but is becoming a national issue.

In Texas, there are 11 felonies relating to harvesting oysters that can land a person in prison for a decade. In the Carolinas, government officials have cracked down on fishermen – both commercial and sport – and in some cases cut off their ability to make a living.

“There isn’t a day I go out where a rule, law or regulation is not broken,” Capt. Terrell Gould told FoxNews.com.

As head of a family-run business in North Carolina that takes customers on deep-sea fishing trips, Gould is just one of a growing group who say they have suffered at the hands of regulators imposing stiff fines and disproportionate penalties. The government tells him when, where and what he can catch.

“Total control of your life – that’s what they want,” said Gould. “You take away the incentive for somebody to do something bit by bit by bit. It’s like peeling the layers off an onion. You can only peel so much and then you don’t have any onion left.”

The growing web of laws that can land unwitting violators in jail is commonly referred to as “overcriminalization.” These are not laws prohibiting fundamentally wrong behavior like murder or rape. Critics say these laws create offenses that violators often don’t realize are illegal until it’s too late.

Punishment can range from a few hundred dollars in fees to lengthy prison terms. Some say the extraordinary expansion of the criminal code on federal, state and local levels leaves the public exposed to abuse at the hands of officials.

When it comes to environmental laws, the states getting hit the hardest are the five that border the Gulf of Mexico – Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida. Among them, nearly 1,000 laws criminalizing activities along the coast have been put on the books, Texas Public Policy Foundation analyst Vikrant Reddy said.

While there is no concrete figure, there are an estimated 300,000-400,000 environmental laws, statutes and mandates believed to be in circulation nationally. Many can land a person in prison, regardless of whether another person, plant or animal is harmed.

In Louisiana alone, there are more than 280 offenses relating to hunting, fishing and wildlife that could get a person locked up for a long time. If a shrimper in the state picks up another person’s broken crab trap and throws it away on land, he or she could be sent to prison for two months. If it happens more than once, there is a mandatory prison stay.

In Alabama, getting rid of scrap tires in an “unauthorized” manner is considered a felony, punishable by up to 10 years in prison.

In Mississippi, a person can spend six months in the slammer for “wounding, drowning, shooting, capturing, taking or otherwise killing any deer from a boat.”

The onslaught of environmental laws has clogged the legal system and pitted residents against powerful prosecutors. The vagueness and overreach of the laws can be staggering, Reddy told FoxNews.com.

Many people who are prosecuted lack the funds to mount a decent legal defense. Some say they have been forced to sell their homes and businesses and have spent years on the losing end of litigation. For others, the easiest course for some has been to plead guilty and do their time behind bars. But being labeled a felon can leave a lasting mark on someone’s professional and personal reputation. Trying to find a job, buy a home or buy a car becomes more difficult.

Part of the problem is that no one knows the total number of federal criminal laws on the books. Big and bulky, the federal criminal code is chock full of obtuse and obscure laws.

“You will have died and resurrected three times,” and still be trying to figure out the answer, retired Justice Department official Ronald Gainer once told The Wall Street Journal in a report about the bloated volumes of criminal law.

Anthony Overton, an associate professor at East Carolina University, says there may be a method behind the madness.

Ovterton said that many of the laws that don’t make sense to most people are in fact logical to local communities.

“Many of these laws, as absurd as they seem, target a localized problem,” he said. “You can’t shoot a deer from a boat. That probably happens a lot in Mississippi where someone is going down the river and sees a boat on someone’s property and starts shooting.”

But in his book “Three Felonies a Day,” Boston-based attorney Harvey Silverglate says criminal laws have become dangerously disconnected and that prosecutors can pin crimes on anyone.

Click HERE For Rest Of Story

Military Suffers With Sale Of Company To China

Military Suffers With Sale Of Company To China – Human Events

The U.S. will lose access to critical materials used in military technology and the country’s electrical grid if the Obama administration approves the controversial sale of a bankrupt American company to a Chinese manufacturer, warns a former Defense Department official.

The Wanxiang Corporation has moved to snatch up the failed A123 Systems enterprise that was financed in part with a $249 million taxpayer-funded grant to produce advanced lithium ion batteries.

A decision is expected this month from the Treasury Department’s Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) as to whether it will approve the sale or reject it on the grounds a sale poses a threat to national security.

Dean Popps, who served as deputy assistant secretary of the Army and acting assistant secretary of the Army for acquisition, logistics and technology under the Obama and George W. Bush administration, says losing the technology will hamper military readiness.

“You don’t want to be building a military spy satellite and be reliant on a lithium ion battery that’s made in China because you don’t make it anymore,” said Popps, who serves as co-chair of the Strategic Materials Advisory Council, which opposes the sale to Wanxiang.

The breakthrough technology produced by A123 Systems is far more advanced than other alternatives on the military market, and the U.S. should not be dependent on a foreign power, China in particular, to resupply the essential technology back to the U.S., Popps said.

CFIUS even warned in its annual report to Congress published in December that there is a coordinated strategy underway by foreign powers to acquire U.S. companies producing critical technologies.

“The U.S. intelligence community judges with moderate confidence that there is likely a coordinated strategy among one or more foreign governments or companies to acquire U.S. companies involved in research, development, or production of critical technologies for which the United States is a leading producer,” said the unclassified version of the report.

Preferred tool in satellites

The cutting edge technology is the preferred tool used in satellite systems; military vehicles, the power grid and telecommunication systems and can withstand high heat and extremely cold temperatures.

A bankruptcy court approved the sale agreement with Wanxiang last month for $256 million, along with a separate purchase proposal from Navitas Systems for A123’s military contracts at a $2.25 million price tag.

However, the court seems to have overlooked the security implications of specific important cross-licensing agreements allowing Wanxiang to share intellectual property, facilities and equipment with Navitas, Popps said.

“The predisposition is to give the Chinese all of the company’s 91 patents and let them run through the tall cotton with all this stuff,” Popps said. “Once you let the Chinese in commercially into this thing, they are back-doored into the whole thing. You don’t want to be building a military spy satellite and be reliant on a lithium ion battery that’s made in China because you don’t make it anymore.”

Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) has been a vocal critic of the sale’s impact on national security as well as the string of financial failures of alternative energy companies funded with tax dollars by the Obama administration.

Blackburn introduced legislation last week that would require the federal government to report to Congress proposed acquisitions by non-allied foreign nations of companies that taxpayers have helped fund. The bill also requires that the government recover the money from those loans or grants when the company is sold.

Battery maker A123 is one of 36 green companies that were awarded federal dollars from the Energy Department but are now facing bankruptcy or are laying off workers, including Solyndra, Evergreen Solar, Beacon Power, SunPower and SpectraWatt.

“We have repeatedly witnessed our tax dollars wasted on so-called stimulus projects that have ended in bankruptcy,” Blackburn said. “Even worse, we now have a situation where not only has A123 landed in bankruptcy proceedings but their taxpayer-funded technology could be handed over to the Chinese government. We owe it to the American people to, at a minimum, scrutinize potential acquisitions to assess the threat to the United States and the loss of taxpayer funded intellectual property.”

Concerns over the sale have been a bipartisan issue on Capitol Hill where Democrat and Republican senators have written Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner warning the acquisition presents considerable risks.

Congress in the 1970s gave the president the authority to block business transactions deemed a threat to national security. The most prominent decision by CFIUS was approval of the Dubai port deal in 2006. However, the Senate voted to block the deal through new legislation and the port operations were eventually sold to a U.S. company.

Most recently, CFIUS blocked the Chinese energy developer Ralls Corporation from investing in an Oregon wind farm. The company filed a lawsuit against the committee in September challenging its authority.

“We know we’re fighting an uphill battle,” Popps said.

“The Chinese are all over us in a hundred different ways, from currency manipulation to what’s going on in Africa – the last battleground for us,” said Popps, referring to China’s efforts to acquire large tracts of African farmlands to increase their food source.

“That’s the next battleground over the next 25 years; it’s going to be over natural resources—who’s got water, who’s got food, who’s got energy and these guys know it and they’ve set out aggressively to control all of the supply chains,” Popps said.

The Chinese have already made a significant push into the U.S. economy with renewable energy technology, and control roughly 98 percent of the world’s rare earth minerals that are essential components in green and high technology, such as hybrid cars, iPods and solar panels.

“There are so many high tech requirements for rare earth components that we now don’t control, and even worse, we’re not even allowed to mine for them because of billions of dollars of costs from EPA constraints,” Popps said. “The supply chain has itself between a real rock and a hard place, and it’s time to have a national discussion about this.”

Click HERE For Rest Of Story

Obama EPA Kills Power Plant, 3,900 Jobs In Texas

Obama EPA Kills Power Plant, 3,900 Jobs In Texas – Washington Examiner

Chase Power, the parent company behind the $3 billion Las Brisas coal power plant in Corpus Christi, Texas, announced yesterday that it was cancelling the project.

“Chase Power… has opted to suspend efforts to further permit the facility and is seeking alternative investors as part of a plan of dissolution for the parent company,” Chase CEO Dave Freysinger told the Corpus Christi Caller-Times.

Freysinger made it very clear who was responsible for the projects death. “The (Las Brisas Energy Center) is a victim of EPA’s concerted effort to stifle solid-fuel energy facilities in the U.S., including EPA’s carbon-permitting requirements and EPA’s New Source Performance Standards for new power plants,” he said.

The Las Brisas power plant had been part of a larger Las Brisas Energy Center project planned for Corpus Christi’s Inner Harbor. Economists had projected that in the first 5 years of construction and operation the project would create as 1,300 direct and 2,600 indirect jobs. Now none of those jobs will exist.

“These costly rules exceeded the bounds of EPA authority, incur tremendous costs, and produce no real benefits related to climate change,” Freysinger commented.

Click HERE For Rest Of Story

*VIDEO* Jethro Tull: Thick As A Brick – Live 1978

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*LIVE STREAMING* AFC Conference Championship Game – Baltimore Vs. New England (01/20/13 – 6:30pm ET)

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Click HERE to visit the official NFL GAME CENTER page for this game.

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Here’s The Real Unemployment Rate

Here’s The Real Unemployment Rate – WorldNetDaily

The real unemployment rate for December 2012 is closer to 23 percent, not the 7.8 percent reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, according to economist John Williams.

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Williams, author of the Shadow Government Statistics website, argues that the federal government manipulates the reporting of key economic data for political purposes, using methodologies that tend to mask bad news.

In the BLS news release Jan. 4, the unemployment rate for December 2012 was reported to have remained unchanged at 7.8 percent.

Williams recreates a ShadowStats Alternative unemployment rate reflecting methodology that includes the “long-term discouraged workers” that the Bureau of Labor Statistics removed in 1994 under the Clinton administration.

The BLS publishes six levels of unemployment, but only the headline U3 unemployment rate gets the press. The headline number does not count “discouraged” unemployed workers who have not looked for work in the past four weeks because they believe no jobs are available.

Williams has demonstrated that it takes an expert to truly decipher BLS unemployment statistics. For instance, in Table A-15, titled “Alternative measures of labor underutilization,” the BLS reports what is known as “U6 unemployment.”

The U6 unemployment rate is the BLS’s broadest measure. It includes those marginally attached to the labor force and the “under-employed,” those who have accepted part-time jobs when they are really looking for full-time employment. Also included are short-term discouraged workers, those who have not looked for work in the last year because there are no jobs to be had.

Since 1994, however, the long-term discouraged workers, those who have been discouraged for more than one year, have been excluded from all government data.

While the BLS was reporting seasonally adjusted headline unemployment in December 2012 was only 7.8 percent, it was also reporting the broader U6 seasonally adjusted unemployment in December 2012 was 14.4 percent.

In his subscription newsletter, Williams contended the “headline changes” reported by BLS for the December 2012 unemployment rate of 7.8 percent “lack statistical significance.”

“To the extent that there is any significance in the monthly reporting,” he said, “it is that the economy is not in recovery, and that unemployment has made a new high, at a level that rivals any other downturn of the post-Great Depression era.”

The only measure BLS reports to the public as the official monthly unemployment rate is the headline, seasonally adjusted U3 number.

Williams calculates his “ShadowStats Alternative Unemployment Rate” by adding to the BLS U6 numbers the long-term discouraged workers, those workers who have not looked for work in more than a year but still consider themselves to be unemployed.

Williams believes that his ShadowStats Alternative Unemployment measure most closely mirrors common experience.

“If you were to survey everyone in the country as to whether they were employed or unemployed, without qualification as to when they last looked for a job, the resulting unemployment rate would be close to the ShadowStats estimate,” Williams explained to WND.

The headline BLS unemployment rate has stayed relatively low, because it excludes all discouraged workers, Williams argues.

As the unemployed first become discouraged and then disappear into the long-term discouraged category, they also vanish from inclusion in the headline labor force numbers. Those workers still are there, however, ready to take a job if one becomes available. They are unemployed and consider themselves to be unemployed, but the government’s popularly followed unemployment reporting ignores them completely.

Here is a more complete unemployment table that includes the seasonally adjusted unemployment percentages for U3 unemployment, as well as the same for U6 unemployment, followed by the ShadowStats Alternative Unemployment rate for both December 2011 and December 2012:

Increasingly, critics like Williams believe the seasonally adjusted U3 numbers reported by the BLS as the official monthly unemployment rate do not give a reliable picture of the true magnitude of unemployment in the United States.

The definitions used by the BLS exclude from the calculation of the monthly U3 unemployment rate anyone who has not looked for work at any time during the past four weeks. Those workers are considered to be “discouraged” and “not in the labor force.”

In the U6 calculations, the discouraged workers are only those who have actively looked for work in the past year.

The BLS definitions don’t consider those who would look for work if there were a reasonable chance they could find employment.

Click HERE For Rest Of Story