In all likelihood, the Cleveland Browns will have the first crack at selecting former Florida Gators cornerback Joe Haden in the 2010 NFL Draft. Positioned with the No. 7 overall pick, the Browns have been high on Haden for quite some time. The organization attended his Pro Day at Florida, met him afterward for a private workout and even flew up to Maryland to meet with him again in his home.

Haden, who is in Cleveland today visiting with the Browns according to the National Football Post, will likely have a few more trips to take before all is said and done on April 22.

Among his suitors are the Oakland Raiders (No. 8 overall), Jacksonville Jaguars (No. 10 overall), San Francisco 49ers (No. 13 overall) and Tennessee Titans (No. 16 overall). “Jaguars defensive coordinator Mel Tucker has talked at length with Haden and 49ers personnel had a meeting with Haden following the Gators’ Pro Day workout,” Aaron Wilson wrote.

Since running a lackluster 40-yard dash at the 2010 NFL Scouting Combine, some league scouts and draft analysts have questioned whether or not Haden will be selected as high as initially projected. However, Haden proved that his slow times were a fluke at Pro Day, sending his stock back up.

Haden will be in attendance at Radio City Music Hall in New York, NY for the NFL Draft.

Tags: Cleveland Browns, combine, Draft, Jacksonville Jaguars, Joe Haden, Mel Tucker, NFL, Oakland Raiders, Pro Day, San Francisco 49ers, Tennessee Titans

OGGOA STORY UPDATE » Assistant basketball coach Richard Pitino has interviewed for the Iona head coaching job, per FOX Sports.

1 » A week ago, OGGOA reported that the North Carolina Tar Heels and Florida Gators 2011 five-star guard commit Austin Rivers shared a mutual interest in each other. Now, Rivers’ consideration of UNC seems to have increased, and he is starting to lean away from Florida in favor of opening his recruitment back up. “It would be Duke, Florida and [North] Carolina,” Rivers told CarolinaBlue.com this week. “And just because I might open it back up doesn’t mean that Florida wouldn’t be one of my schools, because they would. I like Florida – a lot.” Should Rivers decommit in order to open up his recruitment, gaining his commitment back against the likes of the Blue Devils and Tar Heels would seemingly be tough for Gators head coach Billy Donovan.

2 » Tuesday, OGGOA mentioned three-star 2010 point guard recruit Chris Denson (Midland, GA) as a prospect Florida is going after to help fill out its incoming recruiting class. Denson spoke with GAVarsity.com Thursday and said that the Gators are one of the teams leading for his services. “I’d say the top of my list are Western Kentucky and Florida […] they’re closer to home and that’s a big part,” Denson said. The site does not list UF as having offered Denson a scholarship yet, instead pointing out that he has already received them from WKU, Buffalo and UNC-Greensboro. Perhaps an offer is all it would take to acquire the 6’2”, 180 lbs. PG.

Two more BITS on Deonte Thompson and Joe Haden…after the jump!
Continue Reading » FOUR BITS: Rivers, Denson, Thompson, Haden

Tags: Austin Rivers, Chris Denson, Cleveland Browns, Deonte Thompson, Draft, Duke Blue Devils, Joe Haden, NFL, North Carolina Tar Heels, Philadelphia Eagles, Sheldon Brown

Former Florida Gators quarterback Tim Tebow has been the recipient of some nice meals recently. Just two days after sitting down with former Buffalo Bills quarterback and Pro Football Hall of Famer Jim Kelly, Tebow ate at a high-end restaurant in Boston, MA, with New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick and personnel director Nick Caserio, according to the Boston Herald.

Tebow, who told OGGOA Saturday that he is in the middle of private interviews and workouts but still has a few more to take care of before the 2010 NFL Draft begins on April 22, is shooting up draft boards after initial projections had him as a second-round pick.

He is working out for the Patriots Tuesday.

Bob Tebow, Tim’s father, made headlines recently by stating that his son would not fall past No. 15 overall in next month’s draft. While some remain skeptical that this proclamation will come to fruition, Tebow is getting a good deal of first-round attention.

Tebow has now spent two days with New England and was praised by Belichick just last week during the league meetings in Orlando, FL.

”He’s had a great career. There are a lot of positives. I’m sure he’s going to help a team,” Belichick said. “I think he performed very well in the offense he was in. I think he was outstanding. He’s already spent, I think, six weeks, or whatever it’s been, working on some other things and I think you can see the results of that working. He’s worked hard and made some changes, you can see those changes. I think he’ll continue to work.”

ESPN‘s Adam Schefter has reported that Tebow’s next two trips will be to the Washington Redskins and Cleveland Browns (not necessarily in that order). The Seattle Seahawks are also interested in bringing him in.

Photo Credit: Associated Press

Tags: Bill Belichick, Bob Tebow, Buffalo Bills, Cleveland Browns, Draft, Jim Kelly, New England Patriots, NFL, Nick Caserio, Pro Football Hall of Fame, Seattle Seahawks, Tim Tebow, Tom Brady, Washington Redskins

1 » Former Florida Gators safety Major Wright, who many felt declared for the 2010 NFL Draft too early but is nonetheless receiving plenty of attention, has already completed at least three private workouts. Wright has been visited in Gainesville, FL, by the New England Patriots, Cleveland Browns and New York Jets. The Patriots and Browns took a comprehensive look at many former Gators during their respective visits.

2 » Michael Lombardi of the National Football Post keeps hearing that former Florida cornerback Joe Haden is “not a top-10 pick.” Haden, who has received serious interest from the Browns (No. 7 overall pick), was thought to have bounced back strong with a fast 40-yard dash time at the school’s Pro Day a few weeks ago. Lombardi also notes that while Haden is slipping, quarterback Tim Tebow “has impressed everyone who has worked with him privately,” nothing that “there’s a strong feeling he’ll be gone before the end of the first round. It is important to remember that some teams in the top half of the first round are indeed taking a strong look at Tebow.

Tags: Cleveland Browns, Draft, Joe Haden, Major Wright, New England Patriots, New York Jets, NFL, Tim Tebow

1 » Former Florida Gators quarterback Tim Tebow is in South Florida speaking at an event for the Boy Scouts of America Thursday. Greg Stoda of the Palm Beach Post caught up with him to ask his opinion of redshirt junior wide receiver Deonte Thompson’s recent comments. “I don’t think Deonte meant anything by that,” Tebow said. “He was just stating facts. [John] Brantley is a guy who throws on timing. You know when the ball is coming and when it’s not.”

For details on Joe Haden and the Cleveland Browns, the Carolina Panthers’ interest in Tebow and Cameron Newton claiming his innocence…keep reading…
Continue Reading » FOUR BITS: Tebow on Deonte; Haden; Newton

Tags: Auburn Tigers, Blinn College, Cameron Newton, Carolina Panthers, Cleveland Browns, Deonte Thompson, Eric Mangini, John Brantley, John Fox, Malik Shareef, Mike Holmgren, SEC, Tim Tebow

Having now competed in the 2010 Senior Bowl, 2010 NFL Scouting Combine and his school’s Pro Day, the only things left on former Florida Gators quarterback Tim Tebow’s plate before the 2010 NFL Draft are workouts and interviews with individual teams.

As of March 8, only the Buffalo Bills and Seattle Seahawks had arranged individual workouts with Tebow. However, the New England Patriots, Cleveland Browns and Washington Redskins can now be added to that list, according to SportingNews.

The Browns, which had their president, general manager and head coach in Gainesville for Florida’s Pro Day, are expected to draft Gators cornerback Joe Haden with their No. 7 overall selection on April 22. The team is also in need of a quarterback of the future with 35-year-old Jake Delhomme as their only legitimate starting option and possesses an early second-round pick.

One of the first teams to work out Florida players after their Pro Day every year, the Patriots – especially head coach Bill Belichick and team owner Robert Kraft – hold Gators head coach Urban Meyer and his players in high regard. In fact, the team also took a close look at tight end Aaron Hernandez and linebacker Brandon Spikes on Thursday. (Spikes has reportedly also met with the Pittsburgh Steelers and head coach Mike Tomlin.) Tebow would fit well in New England as a back-up who could sit comfortably behind Tom Brady for a few years.

The Redskins, which recently signed former Florida quarterback Rex Grossman to a free agent contract, are still looking for a starter with incumbent Jason Cambell seemingly always on the hot seat. Head coach Mike Shanahan is a former Gators offensive coordinator, and his son Kyle holds that same position under his father.

Photo Credit: Jimmy DeFlippo/Sports Illustrated

Tags: Aaron Hernandez, Brandon Spikes, Buffalo Bills, Cleveland Browns, combine, Draft, Joe Haden, New England Patriots, NFL, Pittsburgh Steelers, Pro Day, Rex Grossman, Seattle Seahawks, Senior Bowl, Tim Tebow, Urban Meyer, Washington Redskins

One name not garnering much publicity as the 2010 NFL Draft approaches is former Florida Gators linebacker and defensive leader Brandon Spikes.

Hampered by a number of injuries (as well as a bruised reputation for an eye gouge) throughout the 2009 season, Spikes only participated in a few events at the 2010 NFL Scouting Combine, planning to do most of his testing at Florida’s Pro Day on March 17 and at individual workouts scheduled by various NFL teams.

Pro Football Talk is reporting that the Cleveland Browns, Buffalo Bills and Tampa Bay Buccaneers will all conduct private visits with Spikes in the coming weeks.

Former NFL scout Daniel Jeremiah told OGGOA before the combine that Spikes could be picked anywhere from the middle of the first round to the middle of the second. The Browns (especially) have a dire need at linebacker, and Spikes would fit well in a 3-4 defense reconstituted by new team czar Mike Holmgren.

Photo Credit: Tim Larson/Icon SMI

Tags: Brandon Spikes, Buffalo Bills, Cleveland Browns, combine, Draft, Mike Holmgren, NFL, Pro Day, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Former Florida Gators cornerback Joe Haden is widely considered to be the best available at his position among those available for selection in the 2010 NFL Draft. After a stellar career at the University of Florida, Haden’s preparations for the 2010 NFL Scouting Combine will come to a head Tuesday when he completes the event’s workout and finishes up his responsibilities at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, IN.

While the purpose of the combine is for every NFL team to get a good look at each draft prospect, Haden may not need to impress anyone except the Cleveland Browns, who are heavily considering using their No. 7 overall pick on the dynamic corner. Long rumored to be one of their top targets, Haden has the Browns drooling, according to published reports.

“Team Need, say hello to Opportunity. Joe Haden, get ready for Cleveland winters,” writes Jeff Schudel of The News-Herald. “There is debate among the analysts about who is the better defensive tackle, who is the better quarterback and who is the better offensive tackle, but they all love Haden.”

Read more about Joe Haden’s preparations and future in the NFL after the jump!
Continue Reading » Cleveland Browns drooling over CB Joe Haden

Tags: Cleveland Browns, combine, Draft, Joe Haden, Lucas Oil Stadium, NFL, SEC, Tom Heckert, University of Florida