Top 10 2010 NFL Rookies to Collect: Post-Combine Edition
With the release of football draft pick cards less than a month away and actual NFL cards following just a few weeks later, it's definitely not too early to start thinking about what rookies will be atop collectors' wish lists when they start busting packs in 2010. Truthfully, some people (Rams fans?) have probably already been looking ahead for quite some time.
Even though the draft will obviously affect the fates of the rookies, some dramatically, we don't need to wait for April to hazard a pretty good stab at who the most desired newcomers will be. Simply knowing the historical tastes of football collectors and the likely draft prospects for the top college stars gets you most of the way there.
When I wrote about sports cards for About.com, I usually changed my list several times before Week 1 of the NFL season. I'll likely do that again this year, but here's my initial educated guess at who's likely to come out of the gate with the top rookie cards to grab for 2010:
1. Sam Bradford, QB, Oklahoma
Yes, Bradford was injured for most of the 2009 college season. But his stock is soaring after the recent scouting combine, with many observers coming away impressed by his size and smarts. He was a winner at Oklahoma and looks very much the part of a franchise quarterback in the NFL.
Even though draft pundits have long assumed that the Rams, who own the No. 1 overall pick, would take one of this year's two stud defensive tackles (Ndamukong Suh and Gerald McCoy), there is a growing feeling that they may lean toward Bradford instead. If that happens, Bradford is almost a shoe-in to be the hottest rookie all summer long.
2. Jimmy Clausen, QB, Notre Dame
Whether you love them or hate them, there's no denying that Notre Dame players always have quite a following. They don't always make successful transitions to the NFL, but Clausen appears to be better equipped than most, and he is being viewed as a top-10 draft pick.
Clausen has a strong arm and plenty of experience taking snaps from center, which should help him vie for playing time immediately on the right team. Collectors may feel a little burnt from their experiences with Brady Quinn, but that shouldn't stop many of them from hunting down Clausen's first cards.
3. Tim Tebow, QB, Florida
Could Tebow be the most highly sought after non-first round pick ever? It's quite possible after he accomplished pretty much everything imaginable at the college level.
Tebow has legions of fans, and both Florida and Heisman collectors will be eager for his first releases. But he also is the victim of some backlash thanks to the almost unprecedented media attention he's received, and questions about his effectiveness at the next level will continue to dog him until he gets a chance to show his stuff.
Fans of draft pick cards will want to take note that Tebow signed an exclusive deal with Press Pass and will initially have autograph cards only in that company's products.
4. C.J. Spiller, RB, Clemson
Calling a guy a big play waiting to happen is sort of a cliche, but it's absolutely true for this former Tiger. Spiller showed the ability to break off long touchdowns as a runner, receiver and returner, and if he had played for a higher profile program than Clemson, he'd probably be even further up this list.
It's easy to see Spiller as Reggie Bush with more between-the-tackles potential, or even Chris Johnson with fewer carries and more kick returns. Either one of those sounds like a formula to be one of the top 2010 rookies.
5. Golden Tate, WR, Notre Dame
Tate's name made him a natural to play at South Bend, and it has a pretty nice ring to it for a top rookie as well. Though somewhat small for his position at 5-foot-10, he's a rare athlete who made plays in just about every conceivable fashion for the Irish and improved his draft stock with an impressive showing at the combine.
Tate probably won't be the first receiver off the board next month, but many are projecting him into the first round. That plus the built-in Notre Dame fanbase makes him the early favorite to be the top target for collectors among 2010 wide receivers.
6. Jahvid Best, RB, Cal
It wasn't hard to find people who thought that this back was the best (no pun intended) in the country before the 2009 season. Best had concussion problems which derailed his junior campaign - and that's certainly a concern in today's NFL - and as a result, not many draftniks are expecting that he'll be picked in the first round.
His talent is definitely of that caliber, though, and dropping a bit may actually work to his benefit if he lands with a solid team. Assuming he's healthy, Best looks like a good bet to make collectors remember why football fans were so high on him not even a year ago.
7. Dez Bryant, WR, Oklahoma State
Bryant has NFL size, speed and playmaking talent. He also has many questions about his attitude and common sense, especially after he sat out almost the entire 2009 season for violating NCAA rules through improper contact with Deion Sanders.
He could be the next Randy Moss. But he could also be the next Koren Robinson, and since hobbyists won't be sure, that will keep Bryant from being as high on this list as he could be.
8. Colt McCoy, QB, Texas
Though he's not getting talked up as much as Bradford and Clausen at the moment, there's no denying that McCoy was a beast at Texas, leaving the college game with a lengthy list of accomplishments. He should be the third quarterback taken in April, though that may not be enough to get him into the draft's first round.
Still, he'll bring his Longhorn fans with him and have just as much of a chance to be a rookie starter as the men picked ahead of him if he ends up in the right situation. Don't forget about McCoy when considering this year's rookie cards.
9. Ryan Mathews, RB, Fresno State
Here's a guy who doesn't come from a powerhouse program but still has plenty of potential to make hobby noise as a rookie. Mathews racked up over 1,800 rushing yards for the Bulldogs in 2009 and has the style and build to be an every-down runner from day one.
Numerous draft experts have wondered if Mathews might not be selected late in Round 1 by a talented yet running back-needy team (like, say, San Diego?). If that happens, Mathews may actually be too low on this list when the season begins.
10. Taylor Mays, S, USC
I always try to squeeze one defensive player onto the list, though it's no secret that defenders don't get nearly as much love from collectors as their more glamorous counterparts across the line. I wanted it to be Suh, but tackles rarely turn many heads in the hobby no matter how good they are.
So why not Mays? Scouts soured on him a bit during the college season, but he's a truly freakish combination of size and speed, and he's entering the league from the premier football factory in the land. His cards might need some time to heat up, but I wouldn't bet against him.
Honorable mention: RB Jonathan Dwyer, Georgia Tech; RB Dexter McCluster, Ole Miss; WR Demaryius Thomas, Georgia Tech; WR Arrelious Benn, Illinois; S Eric Berry, Tennessee
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