2015 NFL Position Rankings: Top 30 Defensive Ends

30.Vinny Curry (Eagles)
29.Arthur Jones (Colts)
28.Rob Ninkovich (Patriots)

27.Chris Canty (Ravens)

26.Cliff Avril (Seahawks)

25.Jeremiah Ratliff (Bears)

24.Everson Griffen (Vikings)
23.Stephen Paea (Redskins)

22.Jason Hatcher (Redskins)

21.Carlos Dunlap (Bengals)

20.Olivier Vernon (Dolphins)

19.Chris Long (Rams)

18.Chandler Jones (Patriots)
17.Cameron Jordan (Saints)

16.Cameron Heyward (Steelers)

15.Ezekiel Ansah (Lions)
14.DeMarcus Ware (Broncos)

13.Jason Pierre-Paul (Giants)

12.Charles Johnson (Panthers) 

11.Jerry Hughes (Bills)

10.Fletcher Cox (Eagles)

9.Muhammad Wilkerson (Jets)
8.Greg Hardy (Cowboys)

7.Calias Campbell (Cardinals)

6.Sheldon Richardson (Jets)

5.Michael Bennett (Seahawks)

4.Cameron Wake (Dolphins)

3.Robert Quinn (Rams)

2.Mario Williams (Bills)

1.J.J. Watt (Texans)

2015 NFL Position Rankings: Top 20 Centers

20.Eric Wood (Bills)

19.Chris Myers (Free Agent)

18.Lemuel Jeanpierre (Seahawks)

17.Bryan Stork (Patriots)

16.Evan Dietrich-Smith (Buccaneers)

15.Stefen Wisnewski (Jaguars)

14.Jeremy Zuttah (Ravens) 

13.Mike Pouncey (Dolphins)

12.Russell Bodine (Bengals)

11.Manny Ramirez (Lions)

10.Corey Linsely (Packers)

9.Ryan Kalil (Panthers)

8.Jason Kelce (Eagles)

7.Rodney Hudson (Raiders)

6.Travis Fredrick (Cowboys)

5.John Sullivan (Vikings)

4.Max Unger (Saints)

3.Nick Mangold (Jets)

2.Alex Mack (Browns)

1.Maurkice Pouncey (Steelers)

Album Review: A$AP Rocky-At.Long.Last.A$AP

The life of A$AP Rocky has changed pretty dramatically since the release of his major-label debut Long.Live.A$AP in January 2013. In that just over two-year period, Rocky watched his popularity blow up to the point where he was able to land a spot opening for Rihanna and co-headlining an amphitheater tour with Wiz Khalifa, got involved in an 18-month relationship with Victoria's Secret model Chanel Iman and had to endure the pain of losing his longtime best friend and business partner Steven "A$AP Yams" Rodriguez to a drug overdose at the age of 26. The impact all of these events had on Rocky are apparent when listening to his second LP, At. Long.Last.A$AP, which is easily the darkest and most hallucinatory record he's ever released.

Since day one, A$AP Rocky has dropped countless songs about drugs, sex and fashion over largely psychedelic (and pretty consistently excellent) beats, and that formula still runs the show here. There are a few songs that go against the grain such as the album's opening 1-2 punch of "Holy Ghost" and "Canal St.", which serve as surprisingly deep reflections on the perils of fame and losing focus on your core values and where you came from once you get consumed with the jet-setting celebrity lifestyle, but these are nothing but brief albeit welcome detours on Rocky's debauchery-filled journey.

Rocky may still be rapping about the same subjects, but the mood is much more melancholy than anything he's done in the past. Rocky is clearly reeling from Yams' death and the sadness he's feeling is stamped all over the production choices on this album. The production-which was handled by more than a dozen of the genre's heavy hitters including Mark Ronson, Kanye West and Danger Mouse-makes heavy use of eerie samples and lo-fi keys to establish a bleak yet trippy atmosphere that practically never lets up. Even the more upbeat songs like "Electric Body" and "Wavybone" have bursts of haunting psychedelia weaved into their otherwise sunny sound. The gloomy aura of At.Long.Last.A$AP adds a refreshing and welcome blast of darkness into Rocky's well-established sound.

The distinctly somber mood established with the production is nicely offset by the high-energy verses Rocky drops on a vast majority of the record. Whenever Rocky takes the mic, he's a ridiculously charismatic live wire, and that incendiary presence prevents this album from being a depressing listen. The swagger and simply incredible flow Rocky displays when he raps has been long been one of the strongest selling points of his music and on this record, those qualities have never shined brighter. The verses he drops on "Jukebox Joints", "Lord Pretty Flacko Jodye 2", "Better Things" and the aforementioned "Holy Ghost" are without question amongst, if not the most attention-grabbing and all-around impressive verses he's ever dropped. At. Long. Last. A$AP largely plays with Rocky's internal battle between light and darkness and the stark contrast between his rapping and the production perfectly exemplifies that.

At. Long. Last. A$AP succeeds on a number of different levels: It's a poignant tribute to the late A$AP Yams, it makes (mostly) great use of its abundance of guest artists and I'd imagine it's a great record for psychedelic drug enthusiasts to put on and vibe out to. But above all, it's a reflection of Rocky's growth as an artist. Rocky's lyrics are still pretty hollow on the whole and there are a fair number of tracks that fail miserably ("Pharsyde", "West Side Highway" and above all, "Fine Whine"-which relies way too heavily on Rocky's signature chopped-and-and screwed vocal effect and features a pair of embarrassing guest spots from Future and M.I.A.), but the production and rapping that have defined his musical identity continue to become more polished as time goes on, and that's more than enough to forgive his shortcomings in other areas. Rocky is getting closer and closer to perfecting his niche on each album he puts out and when the day arrives where he gets everything right, the world is going to be in for a serious treat.

3.5/5 Stars
Standout Tracks
1.Holy Ghost
2.Electric Body
3.Better Things     

The Best and Worst of Dwayne Johnson

Editor's Note: Starting this week, I'm going to profile the best and worst pieces of work of an actor starring in one of the week's new releases, starting with San Andreas star Dwayne Johnson. This series will run every week for the rest of the summer movie season and could be become a permanent weekly series if the reception is strong enough. Hope you all enjoy. 

Films Starring Dwayne Johnson I've Seen:
The Scorpion King
The Rundown
Walking Tall
Be Cool
Doom
Southland Tales
Gridiron Gang
Get Smart
The Other Guys
Faster
Fast Five
Snitch 
G.I. Joe: Retaliation 
Pain & Gain
Fast and Furious 6 
Hercules 
Furious 7

Best Performance: Pain & Gain (2013)
Michael Bay's pitch black comedy Pain & Gain featured a gifted cast including Mark Wahlberg, Anthony Mackie and Ed Harris that were all on the top of their game. But it was Johnson's scene-stealing and consistently hilarious turn as Jesus-worshiping cokehead Paul Doyle that served as the crown jewel in a sea of standout performances.  

Worst Performance: The Scorpion King (2002)
The Scorpion King was Johnson's first starring role in Hollywood and it showed. He hadn't yet figured out how to channel the off-the-charts likability and charisma that made him one of the most popular superstars in the history of WWE onto the big screen and it makes his awkward performance here hard to watch. It also doesn't help that the movie itself is way too serious for its own good and doesn't makes use of the comedic chops that got Johnson noticed by Hollywood in the first place.  

Best Film He's Starred In: The Rundown (2003)
It didn't take Johnson long to recover after the underwhelming Scorpion King. Johnson's second starring role in Peter Berg's The Rundown not only showed that Johnson could be taken seriously as an actor, but that he had the potential to be Hollywood's next all-time great action star. Johnson and Seann William Scott make for a great Odd Couple-esque pairing, Christopher Walken is tremendous as the villain and the film is equally good at generating laughs and staging exhilarating action sequences. The Rundown is an enormously fun ride that played a huge role in helping Johnson become the superstar that he is today.  

Worst Film He's Starred In: Be Cool (2005)
The failure of Be Cool has nothing to do with Johnson, who was the sole highlight of the movie as a flamboyantly gay bodyguard to Vince Vaughn and Harvey Kietel's characters who aspires to be an actor (the scene where he does a monologue from Bring It On is brilliant.) Outside of Johnson's spirited work, Be Cool is a nothing short of a disaster. The characters are obnoxious, the writing is lazy and above all, it's painfully unfunny. Be Cool is one of the worst movies I've ever seen and is by far the largest blemish on Johnson's resume to-date.  

2015 NFL Position Rankings: Top 30 Guards

30.Oday Aboushi (Jets)
29.Trai Turner (Panthers)
28.Andrew Norwell (Panthers)
27.Logan Mankins (Buccaneers)
26.Todd Herremans (Colts)
25.Geoff Schwartz (Giants)
24.Andy Levitre (Titans)
23.Ben Grubbs (Chiefs)
22.Ronald Leary (Cowboys)
21.Ramon Foster (Steelers)
20.Alex Boone (49ers)
19.Jahri Evans (Saints)
18.David DeCastro (Steelers)
17.Brandon Linder (Jaguars)
16.Joel Bitonio (Browns)
15.Clint Boling (Bengals)
14.Orlando Franklin (Chargers)
13.Matt Slauson (Bears)

12.Larry Warford (Lions)
11.T.J. Lang (Packers)
10.Louis Vazquez (Broncos)

9.Mike Iupati (Cardinals)

8.Brandon Brooks (Texans)
7.Kevin Zeitler (Bengals)

6.Zach Martin (Cowboys)

5.Kyle Long (Bears)

4.Kelechi Osemele (Ravens)

3.Josh Sitton (Packers)

2.Evan Mathis (Eagles)

1.Marshal Yanda (Ravens)

2015 NFL Position Rankings: Top 30 Tackles

30.Phil Loadholt (Vikings)
29.Anthony Davis (49ers)
28.Cordy Glenn (Bills)
27.Derek Newton (Texans)
26.Marcus Gilbert (Steelers)
25.Donald Penn (Raiders)
24.Russell Okung (Seahawks)
23.Nate Solder (Patriots)
22.Zach Strief (Saints)
21.Riley Rieff (Lions)
20.Lane Johnson (Eagles)
19.Doug Free (Cowboys)
18.Ricky Wagner (Ravens)
17.Demar Dotson (Buccaneers)
16.King Dunlap (Chargers)
15.Kelvin Beachum (Steelers)
14.Anthony Castonzo (Colts)
13.Eugene Monroe (Ravens)
12.Bryan Bulaga (Packers)
11.Sebastian Vollmer (Patriots)
10.Branden Albert (Dolphins)
9.Jared Veldheer (Cardinals)
8.Ryan Clady (Broncos)
7.Duane Brown (Texans)
6.Trent Williams (Redskins)
5.Joe Staley (49ers)
4.Tyron Smith (Cowboys)
3.Jason Peters (Eagles)
2.Andrew Whitworth (Bengals)
1.Joe Thomas (Browns)

Album Review: Veil of Maya-Matriarch

Illinois-based deathcore act Veil of Maya had its first member change in nearly four years when vocalist Brandon Butler-who had been with the band since the release of their 2008 breakout album The Common Man's Collapse- left the band in the fall of 2014 due to creative and personal differences. The creative differences that forced Butler out of the band are apparent when listening to the band's new LP, Matriarch, which for better or worse, sees Veil of Maya putting a more accessible, melodic twist on their established sound.

To its credit, Matriarch starts off on a pretty strong note. It definitely deviates from the progressive deathcore style they're known for while also still utilizing a lot of the strengths that have defined their music since day one. "Leeloo" is driven by one of guitarist Marc Okubo's trademark distorted, skip-heavy groove riffs and features some pretty excellent high screams from new vocalist Lukas Magyar while "Lucy" is a blisteringly technical track with bursts of well-constructed melody that wouldn't sound out of place on Eclipse or (id). Even though the band is trying to establish a new voice on Matriarch, it's nice to see that they haven't completely abandoned their roots. While "Leeloo" and "Lucy" beckon back to the Veil of Maya of old, "Ellie" and "Mikasa" serve as a representation of what the newest incarnation sounds like. These tracks are sure to catch longtime listeners of the band off-guard with their inclusion of clean vocals and super melodic guitars, but if you can get over the shock of hearing singing and non-distorted guitars in a Veil of Maya song, they are pretty effective tracks. Magyar makes his presence felt on these tracks by displaying his knack for writing memorable vocals melodies (the hook on "Mikasa" hasn't left my head since I listened to this album) and a pretty impressive voice that is reminiscent of Periphery frontman Spencer Sotelo. Clean vocals proved to be a pretty solid addition to their musical cannon and Magyar's solid performance in the early portion of the record disproves the myth that clean vocals had no place in Veil of Maya's music.

After the first half of Matriarch any fears about Veil of Maya losing their edge with their new vocalist appeared to be put the rest. The second half drastically changes that. Aside from the heavy-as-all-hell "Phoenix", the second half of Matriarch consists of nothing but middling filler tracks. The successful balance of their newfound melody with vintage grooves suddenly vanishes and is replaced by a series of songs loaded with limp djent riffs and practically no vocal variation.

The failure of the second half album can be equally attributed to Okubo's flat songwriting and Magyar's vocal deficiencies. Okubo's attempts to make the band more accessible has taken away from a lot of the magic from their music. Okubo has made a name for himself over the years by using a playing style that made heavy use of effects pedals, odd-meter melodies and grooves that were equal parts Meshuggah-worship and traditional death metal. In other words, you knew who was playing it the minute you heard it. On Matriarch, that style is put to the side in favor of a barrage of second-tier djent riffs and repetitive clean melodies that are used by dozens of bands in the scene. Okubo is still a very gifted guitar player who lays down his fair share of quality riffage on this record, he's just no where near as exciting to listen to when he abandons his singular identity.

As for Magyar, the further the album goes along, the more clear it becomes that the band is not tailored to his strengths as a vocalist. The mid-range scream he resorts to a majority of the time is average at best and becomes extremely monotonous when he rarely deviates it from on tracks like "Danerys", "Lisbeth" and "Three-Fifty". Even the clean vocals that worked so well earlier in the album start to become uninspired in the latter stages of the record due to sheer repetition and awkward placement within songs. If Magyar had simply thrown in some of the great high screams or catchy clean vocal lines he used earlier in the album, these songs would've been noticeably better. Magyar's mostly underwhelming screams are especially disappointing considering he's replacing a man in Butler who had one of the most unique and impressive range of screams. The distinct vocals of Butler paired with the relentlessly crushing and uniquely layered guitarwork from Okubo made Veil of Maya one of the premiere acts in the genre. With both of those assets now out of the picture, Veil of Maya has become just another pedestrian act in a seemingly eternal sea of -core bands.

While Matriarch isn't without its redeeming qualities, it's still far and away the weakest record in Veil of Maya's discography. I'm not at all opposed to bands changing their sound, but when a band chooses to sacrifice a lot of what made them standout to become more generic, it's really frustrating. Veil of Maya has far too strong of a track record for Matriarch to be a death sentence to their career, but they're going to need to bring the back the grit and complexity to their music if they want their next chapter as a band to be a successful one.   
      
3/5 Stars
Standout Tracks
1.Leeloo
2.Lucy
3.Phoenix

2015 NFL Position Rankings: Top 20 Tight Ends

20.Kyle Rudolph (Vikings)

19.Owen Daniels (Broncos)

18.Jordan Reed (Redskins)

17.Larry Donnell (Giants)

16.Zach Ertz (Eagles)

15.Heath Miller (Steelers)
14.Coby Fleener (Colts)

13.Charles Clay (Bills)

12.Jordan Cameron (Dolphins)

11.Dwayne Allen (Colts)

10.Travis Kelce (Chiefs)

9.Delanie Walker (Titans)

8.Vernon Davis (49ers)

7.Jason Witten (Cowboys)

6.Martellus Bennett (Bears)

5.Julius Thomas (Jaguars)

4.Antonio Gates (Chargers)

3.Greg Olsen (Panthers)

2.Jimmy Graham (Seahawks)

1.Rob Gronkowski (Patriots)

Movie Review: Pitch Perfect 2

Out of all the films that have become breakout successes in the past few years, none has followed a more unconventional path to success than musical/comedy Pitch Perfect. The film-which was released in late September 2012- was a modest success grossing $65 million during its theatrical release, but became a bonafide sensation in its post-theatrical run following the breakout success of Anna Kendrick's "Cups" from the film's soundtrack and strong word-of-mouth which led to the film grossing over $100 million in Blu-Ray and DVD sales. Naturally, Universal capitalized on that success and offically greenlit a sequel in April 2013. With a film like Pitch Perfect, the sequel could've easily been a half-assed affair that only existed for the actors and studio to cash in on the now-lucrative Pitch Perfect brand. Thankfully, Pitch Perfect 2 couldn't be further from a pointless cash grab.

Like all good sequels, Pitch Perfect 2 effortlessly overcomes the burden of heightened expectations and pleasing the film's established fanbase by making a film that is cut from the same mold as the original yet is still fresh enough to not feel like a complete retread. Returning screenwriter Kay Cannon and first-time director Elizabeth Banks-who also produced and co-stars in the film- take the first film's mix of a capella singing and rapid-fire absurdist humor, and raises it to the next level. A majority of Pitch Perfect's audience have gravitated towards this series strictly because of the music and the sequel does not fail to deliver with its plethora of musical sequences. The musical numbers are on a much grander scale this time around and enhanced sense of spectacle makes the musical portions of the film much more striking. Personally, I felt the musical numbers (save for the rousing finale) in the first installment fell pretty flat. The over-the-top arrangements and choreography as well as much better song choices make the a capella sequences this time around a whole hell of a lot better than they were in the first film. 

However, like the original, Pitch Perfect 2 is driven by its comedic elements. Because of Pitch Perfect's musical backbone, the film's highly effective oddball humor is largely glossed over by fans and critics alike. T Just like the musical elements, the comedy here is also a major improvement from the first. The film's primary cast (a.k.a the actressess that make up the Barden Bellas a capella group) anchored by Anna Kendrick, Rebel Wilson,  Ester Dean and Hana Mae Lee once again turn in rock-solid and wonderfully hilarious performances. There's a seriously great comedic chemistry between the entire Barden Bella ensemble and their rapport has only grown stronger in their second film working together. While the main cast delivers once again, the much-improved supporting cast really pushes the film over the edge. Series newcomers Keegan Michael-Key, Chrissie Fit, Flula Borg, Brigitte Hjort Sorensen and a handful of brilliantly-implored cameos that I won't divulge all make significant contributions to aiding the film's non-stop parade of laughs. With the sheer number of s throughout and depth of comedic talent in the cast, I really hope the comedy value of Pitch Perfect 2 won't be completely overlooked this time around. Pitch Perfect 2 was a beyond pleasant surprise and I fully expect it to be one of the best comedies of the summer, if not the entire year.

4/5 Stars

Concert Review: Mastodon/Clutch (The Missing Link Tour)-- Boston, MA-- May 17th, 2015

The Missing Link Tour featuring two of the most prolific names in hard rock in Mastodon and Clutch made one of its final U.S. stops at the House of Blues in Boston, Massachusetts last night. The pairing of these grizzled veterans lived up to its billing and made for a really great evening full of good ol' fashioned rock n' roll.

Graveyard, the show's lone opening act, came on just before 7:00. I'd never heard a note of their music going into the show, but I had heard a lot of good things about them on a number of music sites and forums I frequent. To put it lightly, I don't see what all the fuss is about. Graveyard plays a style of psychedelic-tinged  blues rock that is about as exciting a marathon of Antiques Roadshow. Blues is very much a riff-driven genre, but Graveyard apparently didn't get that memo as none of their songs featured anything that even resembled a memorable riff.  Every single song they played was completely devoid of life or emotion, which made their 45-minute set an absolute chore to sit through. The entire band looked like they had just watched their family get murdered in front of them and their especially mopey vocalist's high-pitched voice did not gel with the melancholy nature of the music at all. Graveyard definitely has some talent, but they are easily one of the most boring, one-note bands I've ever seen live.

After a pretty lengthy sound check, Clutch hit the stage around 8:15. Despite their frequent touring and my constant attempts to see them every time they've been in the area over the past few years, this was my first time seeing Clutch. The lengthy wait to see them proved to be well worth it as Clutch lived up to their reputation as one of the genre's premier live acts. The whole band sounds amazing and emitted a seemingly endless amount of passion and enjoyment for what they do the entire time they were playing. Clutch's set was further bolstered by a phenomenal setlist dominated by cuts from their newest LP Earth Rocker and their 2004 masterpiece Blast Tyrant. As anyone who follows Clutch knows, their setlists change pretty dramatically on a night-to-night basis and when you have as deep of a catalog as they do, the song options are extensive, so the fact that they played so many songs from those two albums was an awesome surprise. Of the abundance of material played from Blast Tyrant and Earth Rocker, "The Mob Goes Wild", "Cypress Grove" and "Crucial Velocity" were the standouts.  Each one of these tracks are rollicking, infectious anthems that are even more fun live than they are on disc. Clutch is an outstanding live act and I'll do everything in my power to see them whenever they play in Massachusetts.

Mastodon came on to close out the night about 25 minutes later. As much as I love Mastodon, the quality of their live shows are wildly erratic. In the seven previous times I've seen them, they've been everything from mind-blowing (The Hunter tour in fall 2011) to a complete and utter trainwreck (Blood Mountain tour in spring 2007). This performance was far from the worst I've seen from them, but it still left a lot to be desired. On the plus side, they were flawless instrumentally (seeing Brent Hinds nail the incredibly difficult solo on "The Czar" was especially impressive), and the material from their relatively underwhelming new record Once More 'Round the Sun sounded much better live than I expected it to. On the other hand, their performance was dragged down by a really predictable setlist and Hinds' horrid vocal performance. Aside from "The Czar"- which I hadn't seen played live since 2010- and the new songs, they played the exact same older material they've been playing for their past four or five headlining tours. Mastodon has a dearth of material at their disposal, so it's kind of baffling that they insist on trotting out tracks like "Black Tongue", "Crystal Skull" and "Megalodon" on every tour they do. Don't get wrong, I love all of those songs, I'd just like to see them retire them briefly in favor of some different stuff from their old albums. While the bland set choices put a bit of a damper on the evening, Hinds' vocals were easily the biggest issue with Mastodon's set. Hinds has long been the weak link of the group, but last night was a new low for him. His vocals were so slurred throughout the set that I'm not even entirely sure that he was saying words. He sounded more like a drunken old man yelling at the whippersnappers in the neighborhood to get off his lawn then someone who was trying to perform music. He eventually ran out of gas from all of his incoherent rhythmic mumbling during "The Czar" and just stopped "singing" completely, which forced Troy Sanders to do all of his parts for the rest of the song. Hinds has sounded like shit for years now and this embarrassment only further proves that he needs to be relieved of his vocal duties in the band ASAP. I guarantee that this current incarnation of Mastodon would be much better if Sanders and Brann Dailor handled all of the vocals. Despite a variety of obstacles, Mastodon still put on a good show. However, I definitely won't be rushing back to see them for a ninth time if Hinds is still doing vocals.     

Scores:
Graveyard 3.5/10
Clutch 8.5/10
Mastodon 8/10

Setlists:
Clutch:
Earth Rocker
Mice and Gods
The Mob Goes Wild
The Face
The Regulator
Monsters (new song)
Cypress Grove
Son of Virginia
Crucial Velocity
Burning Beard
Our Lady of Electric Light
D.C. Sound Attack!
Profits of Doom
The Wolf Man Kindly Requests....
Electric Worry
One Eye Dollar

Mastodon:
Tread Lightly
Once More 'Round the Sun
Blasteroid
Oblivion
Chimes at Midnight
High Road
Aqua Dementia
Halloween
Bladecatcher
Black Tongue
Ember City
Megalodon
Crystal Skull

Encore:
The Czar

2015 NFL Position Rankings: Top 50 Wide Receivers

Note: Josh Gordon of the Browns was left off this list because of the year-long suspension he'll be serving in 2015.

50.Malcolm Floyd (Chargers)

49.Terrance Williams (Cowboys)

48.Jarvis Landry (Dolphins)

47.Brian Quick (Rams)

46.Rueben Randle (Giants)

45.Mohammed Sanu (Bengals)

44.Kenny Stills (Dolphins)

43.Andrew Hawkins (Browns) 

42.Doug Baldwin (Seahawks)

41.Brandon LaFell (Patriots)

40.Stevie Johnson (Chargers)

39.Michael Crabtree (Raiders)

38.Jordan Matthews (Eagles)

37.Roddy White (Falcons)

36.Percy Harvin (Bills)

35.Larry Fitzgerald (Cardinals)

34.Keenan Allen (Chargers)

33.Marques Colston (Saints)

32.Eric Decker (Jets)

31.Mike Wallace (Vikings)

30.Michael Floyd (Cardinals)

29.Kendall Wright (Titans)

28.Andre Johnson (Colts)

27.Kelvin Benjamin (Panthers) 

26.Pierre Garcon (Redskins)

25.Victor Cruz (Giants)

24.Julian Edelman (Patriots)

23.Anquan Boldin (49ers)

22.Sammy Watkins (Bills)

21.Torrey Smith (49ers)

20.Steve Smith (Ravens)

19.Brandon Marshall (Jets)

18.Mike Evans (Buccaneers)

17.DeAndre Hopkins (Texans)

16.Golden Tate (Lions)

15.Vincent Jackson (Buccaneers)

14.Emmanuel Sanders (Broncos)

13.Jeremy Maclin (Chiefs)

12.DeSean Jackson (Redskins)

11.Alshon Jeffrey (Bears)

10.T.Y. Hilton (Colts)

9.Odell Beckham Jr. (Giants)

8.Randall Cobb (Packers)

7.Jordy Nelson (Packers)

6.Demaryius Thomas (Broncos)

5.Julio Jones (Falcons)

4.A.J. Green (Bengals)

3.Antonio Brown (Steelers)

2.Dez Bryant (Cowboys)

1.Calvin Johnson (Lions)

50 Most Underrated Albums of the 2000's So Far: #15-1 + Full Recap

As a result of getting caught up in writing other things, I never got to around to finishing my 50 most underrated albums of the 2000's so far countdown. Well after a nearly eight month hiatus since the unveiling of #16 and 15 months after I started the countdown, the series will finally be coming to a close today. Below are the write-ups for the last 15 albums in the countdown and a full recap of the entire list for people that missed (or read and forgot about it since I started this countdown during the Eisenhower administration) the rest of the series. Hope you all enjoy and I apologize for taking so long to finish this up.

15.As I Lay Dying-The Powerless Rise (2010):
After the much-acclaimed An Ocean Between Us was released in 2007, people failed to take notice of As I Lay Dying's subsequent releases. Their follow-up to an An Ocean Between Us, The Powerless Rise, took everything that made An Ocean Between Us great and raised it to the next level. The compositions were more complex than ever with an enhanced emphasis on technicality and melody, and Tim Lambesis delivered the most ferocious vocal performance of his career. After the release of good but not great Awakened in 2012 and departure of everyone in the band besides drummer Jordan Mancino after Lambesis was sentenced to prison for six years after pleading guilty to a felony charge of attempted murder solicitation in April 2014, The Powerless Rise can now be viewed as the swansong of one of the greatest metalcore bands of all-time.
Standout Tracks 1.Without Conclusion 2.Anodyne Sea 3.The Plague
 
14.Children of Bodom-Hate Crew Deathroll (2003)
Hate Crew Death Roll was the last truly special album that Finnish extreme metal icons Children of Bodom  released and for that reason alone, it will always have a special place in my heart. Hate Crew Deathroll is 37 minutes of catchy, over-the-top, synth-driven melodic death metal that is every bit as relentless as it is memorable.
Standout Tracks 1.Needled 24/7 2.Triple Corpse Hammerblow 3.Bodom Beach Terror


13.My Chemical Romance-Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge (2004)
My Chemical Romance is largely written off as a band because of the way they dressed and their emo-influenced lyrics. If you put aside their image and lyrical content and just focus on the music itself, they crafted some of the best pop punk to ever be released,and their breakout 2004 release Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge was their seminal piece of work. Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge has all the big hooks and bouncy melodies you've come to expect from pop punk with bursts of post-hardcore aggression and mature introspection to make them stand out from their sunnier peers like blink-182 and Taking Back Sunday.
Standout Tracks 1.Thank You for the Venom 2.To the End 3.The Ghost of You

12.The Faceless-Autotheism (2012)
The long delayed third LP from progressive/technical death metal titans The Faceless may not have been the groundbreaking masterpiece 2008's Planetary Duality was, but it showed The Faceless was capable of taking their music in a more straight-up progressive direction without losing any of the raw abrasive power that made their earlier releases special.
Standout Tracks 1.Autotheist Movement I-III 2.In Solitude 3.Accelerated Evolution


11.Unearth-Darkness in the Light (2011)
If I had allowed bands to have more than one release appear on this countdown, Unearth's entire discography would be on this list. However, in a career full of overlooked gems, Darkness in the Light is the most criminally under-appreciated. Darkness in the Light is essentially an unofficial "best of " album for Unearth as they combined the unadulterated heaviness of III: In the Eyes of Fire with the melodic undertones and technicality of The Oncoming Storm and The March. Darkness in the Light is a monstrous assault on the senses that showcases everything that makes Unearth great over the course of a single album. 
Standout Tracks 1.Arise the War Cry 2.Coming of the Dark 3.Eyes of Black  
 

10.Skeletonwitch-Beyond the Permafrost (2007)
Beyond the Permafrost was the first time a majority of the metal world was introduced to Skeletonwitch and the Ohio-based quintet were able to make quite the impression with their Prosthetic Records debut. Their hybrid of thrash metal compositions and energy with black metal vocals made for a unique sound that packed a serious wallop and made Beyond the Permafrost one of the most consistently memorable releases in recent memory.
Standout Tracks 1.Upon Wings of Black 2.Within My Blood 3.Soul Thrashing Black Sorcery


9.Fallujah-The Harvest Wombs (2011):
Of all the debut albums I've heard in the past five years or so, none have been as polished, ambitious or flat-out fantastic as Fallujah's The Harvest Wombs. The Harvest Wombs is able to stand out because of Fallujah's ability to expertly incorporate beautiful ambient melodies into crushing technical death metal. The Harvest Wombs is an immense album that instantly cemented Fallujah as one of the most innovative young bands in extreme metal.
Standout Tracks 1.Become One 2.Assemblage of Wolves 3.Prison of the Mind


8.After the Burial-Rareform (2008):
When it comes to deathcore, it doesn't get any better than After the Burial's Rareform. Rareform took the breakdown and guttural vocal-driven formula deathcore had been known for at the time, and turned on its head with heavy use of Meshuggah-esque grooves, stunning prog melodies and awe-inspiring guitar solos from Trent Hafdahl. Rareform defied the stereotype that all deathcore is simple and monotonous, and it deserves to be recognized as one of the most important extreme metal releases of the new millennium.
Standout Tracks 1.Berzerker 2.Drifts 3.Ometh
 
7.letlive.-Fake History (2010)
Some people might not agree with this pick because it got a considerable amount of love in a lot of online music circles. However, I feel this record still didn't get anywhere close to the attention it deserved hence why I put it on this list. Before I heard Fake History, I was beginning to believe that post-hardcore was becoming a dead genre. Every release was rooted in the same trite, whiny garbage while there was seemingly no bands set to emerge and break the increasingly stale mold set by the band's at the forefront of the scene. Letlive. changed that. With a versatile frontman in Jason Butler -who could tackle banshee-esque screaming and beautiful clean singing with equal proficiency, and instrumentation that wasn't afraid to shift tempos on a dime, letlive. was able to create an infectious album that incited chaos and demanded the listener's attention throughout. Fake History was the giant middle finger to convention post-hardcore needed to become an inspired genre again.
Standout Tracks: 1.Homeless Jazz 2.The Sick, Sick 6.8 Billion 3.Renegade 86'
 

6.System of a Down-Hypnotize (2005)
System of a Down's last studio album is also their most polarizing and I could honestly never figure as to why that was. It has all the zaniness and high volume of wholly memorable tracks you'd come to expect from System of a Down record and for my money, is a much more consistent record than its beloved predecessor, Mesmerize. Hypnotize was an amazing and fitting capstone on the all-too-short career of System of a Down.
Standout Tracks 1.Stealing Society 2.U-Fig 3.Attack  

5.Painted in Exile-Revitalized (2009)
Revitalized may only be a 3 song EP, but it's 100x more memorable than most LP's could dream of being. In just three songs that span just under 30 minutes, Painted in Exile is able to make one of the most captivating and gleefully strange progressive metal records of the 21st century so far. The tonal shifts from jazz to death metal to prog may sound jarring on paper, but they're all brilliantly executed and it's absolute joy to listen to all the twists and turns unfold. It pains me so much that these guys are still an active band yet they STILL haven't released anything since Revitalized. 
Standout Tracks 1.Revitalized 2.Distanced by Dissonance 3.Skylines 


4.Protest the Hero-Scurrilous (2011)
 Canadian progressive metal act Protest the Hero has released a lot of excellent material since they burst onto the scene in 2007 with Keizia, but nothing has topped the heights they achieved with their third LP Scurrilous. After releasing two albums centered around fictional narratives, vocalist Rody Walker decided to go the more personal route with his lyrical storytelling on Scurrilous, and it makes for one of the most poignant listening experiences I've had in my entire life. Walker bears his soul on everything from failed relationships to the experience of watching one of his best friends fight cancer to the shadiness of the record industry with equal potency and honesty. Walker backs up his phenomenal lyrics with an emotionally-charged vocal performance that showcases his insane range even more than he did on their past releases. Walker's tour-de-force vocal/lyrical performance paired with the relentless technicality that this band has become known for makes Scurrilous a powerful musical ride that can not be shaken under any circumstances.
Standout Tracks 1.C'est La Vie 2.Dunsel 3.Termites  

3.The Dillinger Escape Plan-Option Paralysis (2010):
The Dillinger Escape Plan are synonymous with praise from critics and audiences alike, but the one album of theirs that is vastly overlooked is the best of their entire discography. Option Paralysis brought Dillinger's sound to the next level by incorporating more melody into the fold without disregarding Dillinger's trademark tornado-esque chaos. The Dillinger Escape Plan had always been a great band, but they didn't truly flourish until the release of Option Paralysis.
Standout Tracks 1.Widower 2.Chinese Whispers 3.Gold Teeth on a Bum


2.The Red Chord-Clients (2005)
I've said before it and I'll say it again: The Red Chord is the most underrated extreme metal band of all-time, and there is no greater evidence of their brilliance than 2005's Clients. Clients combines the spastic nature of grind with the crunch of brutal death metal and the precision of technical death metal to make a one-of-a-kind biting powerhouse of an album. Behemoth's Demigod , Necrophagist's Epitaph and Nile's Annihilation of Wicked are largely regarded as the most important death metal releases of mid 2000's, but as far as I'm concerned, that distinction goes to Clients.
Standout Tracks 1.Antman 2.Black Santa 3.Blue Line Cretin
  

1.Coheed and Cambria-Good Apollo I'm Burning Star IV, Volume One: From Fear Through the Eyes of Madness (2005):
With From Fear Through the Eyes of Madness, Coheed and Cambria was able to create a modern day prog opus that beckons back to the days when bands like Rush and King Crimson were producing album after album of complex, nerd-friendly prog fare. From the eerie strings of intro "Keeping the Blade" to the triumphant four-part closer "The Willing Well", Claudio Sanchez and co. take the listener on an enthralling, endlessly complex and consistently brilliant musical journey that is simply unforgettable. From Fear Through the Eyes of Madness is a stone cold classic that deserves to mentioned in the same breath as In The Court of the Crimson King and Moving Pictures in the greatest prog album of all-time discussion.
Standout Tracks 1.Ten Speed (Of God's Blood and Burial) 2.The Willing Well I-IV 3.Crossing the Frame

Full-list recap:

50.All Shall Perish-This is Where it Ends (2011)

49.Big K.R.I.T.-K.R.I.T. Wuz Here (2010)

48.Dropkick Murphys-The Warrior’s Code (2005)

47.Animals as Leaders-Weightless (2011)

46.3 Inches of Blood-Fire up the Blades (2007)

45.Son of Aurelius-The Farthest Reaches (2010)

44.Alkaline Trio-Crimson (2005)

43.Municipal Waste-The Art of Partying (2007)

42.Alice in Chains-Black Gives Way to Blue (2009)

41.Fleshgod Apocalypse-Agony (2011)

40.Lazarus A.D.-The Onslaught (2009)

39.Lamb of God-Resolution (2013)

38.Parkway Drive-Horizons (2007)

37.A Loss for Words-No Sanctuary (2011)

36.Arch Enemy-Khaos Legions (2011)

35.Andrew W.K.-I Get Wet (2001)

34.Born of Osiris-The Discovery (2011)

33.Battlecross-War of Will (2013)

32.Cannibal Corpse-Kill (2006)

31.Doom-Born Like This (2009)

30.Machine Head-Unto the Locust (2011)

29.God Forbid-Earthsblood (2009)

28.Killswitch Engage-As Daylight Dies (2006)

27.Slipknot-All Hope is Gone (2008)

26.Avenged Sevenfold-City of Evil (2005)

25.Hope for the Dying-Altheia (2013)

24.Revocation-Existence is Futile (2009)

23.Behemoth-Evangellion (2009)

22.Atmosphere-Seven's Travels (2003)

21.Last Chance to Reason-Level 2 (2011)

20.Sylosis-Monolith (2012)

19.The Story So Far-Under Soil and Dirt (2011)

18.All That Remains-The Fall of Ideals (2006)

17.Hatebreed-The Rise of Brutality (2003)

16.Intronaut-Valley of Smoke (2010)

15.As I Lay Dying-The Powerless Rise (2010)

14.Children of Bodom-Hate Crew Deathroll (2003)

13.My Chemical Romance-Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge (2004)

12.The Faceless-Autotheism (2012)

11.Unearth-Darkness in the Light (2011)

10.Skeletonwitch-Beyond the Permafrost (2007)

9.Fallujah-The Harvest Wombs (2011)

8.After the Burial-Rareform (2008)

7.letlive.-Fake History (2010)

6.System of a Down-Hypnotize (2005)

5.Painted in Exile-Revitalized (2009)

4.Protest the Hero-Scurrilous (2011)

3.The Dillinger Escape Plan-Option Paralysis (2010)

2.The Red Chord-Clients (2005)

1.Coheed and Cambria-Good Apollo I'm Burning Star IV: From Fear Through the Eyes of Madness (2005)

2015 NFL Position Rankings: Top 50 Running Backs

50.Bishop Sankey (Titans)

49.Chris Johnson (Free Agent)

48.Andre Williams (Giants)

47.DeAngelo Williams (Steelers)

46.Ahmad Bradshaw (Free Agent)

45.Branden Oliver (Chargers)

44.Bilal Powell (Jets)

43.Roy Helu Jr. (Raiders)

42.Bobby Rainey (Buccaneers)

41.Daniel “Boom” Herron (Colts)

40.Isaiah Crowell (Browns)

39.Terrance West (Browns)

38.Matt Asiata (Vikings)

37.Andre Ellington (Cardinals)

36.Darren Sproles (Eagles)

35.Darren McFadden (Cowboys)

34.Latavius Murray (Raiders)

33.Shane Vereen (Giants)

32.Jerick McKinnon (Vikings)

31.Jonathan Stewart (Panthers)

30.Danny Woodhead (Chargers)

29.Denard Robinson (Jaguars)

28.Doug Martin (Buccaneers)

27.Rashad Jennings (Giants)

26.LeGarette Blount (Patriots)

25.Stevan Ridley (Jets)

24.C.J. Spiller (Saints)

23.Reggie Bush (49ers)

22.Tre Mason (Rams)

21.Chris Ivory (Jets)

20.Giovani Bernard (Bengals)

19.Fred Jackson (Bills)

18.C.J. Anderson (Broncos)

17.Justin Forsett (Ravens)

16.Ryan Matthews (Eagles)

15.Mark Ingram (Saints)

14.Joique Bell (Lions)

13.Lamar Miller (Dolphins)

12.Jeremy Hill (Bengals)

11.Alfred Morris (Redskins)

10.Frank Gore (Colts)

9.Eddie Lacy (Packers)

8.Arian Foster (Texans)

7.Le'Veon Bell (Steelers)

6.DeMarco Murray (Eagles)

5.Matt Forte (Bears)

4.LeSean McCoy (Bills)
3.Jammal Charles (Chiefs)

2.Adrian Peterson (Vikings)

1.Marshawn Lynch (Seahawks)

Album Review: Dance Gavin Dance-Instant Gratification

California-based post-hardcore act Dance Gavin Dance's decade-long existence has been loaded with adversity. They've endured nearly a dozen lineup changes with only guitarist Will Swan and drummer Matt Mingus appearing on every release and haven't retained the same lineup on back-to-back releases since their 2006 EP Whatever I Say Is Royal Ocean and their 2007 debut full-length Downtown Battle Mountain. However, the band has persevered through all the obstacles thrown at them over the years and haven't allowed the constant member changes detract from their standing as one of the most popular bands in the post-hardcore scene. Their sixth LP Instant Gratification is the first release since Downtown Battle Mountain to feature the same lineup as the album that preceded it and that continuity results in this being the most complete work of Dance Gavin Dance's career thus far.

The presence of the lineup continuity that has long eluded Dance Gavin Dance on Instant Gratification goes a long way in aiding their chemistry as a band. The band has never not sounded like a finely-tuned machine on any of their previous releases, bu going through multiple writing and recording processes with the same group of guys has paid dividends for their tightness as a band. The area where this increased cohesiveness pays off the most is in the rapport between harsh vocalist Jon Mess and clean vocalist Tillan Pearson. On their previous release Acceptance Speech, there was a clear disconnect between the two group's vocalists. The transitions between the duo's vocal sections were rough at best and Pearson seemed to be kind of intimated to take over the spot of Jonny Craig and subsequently tried way too hard to emulate the vocal patterns of the group's notorious founding clean vocalist. On Instant Gratification, the pair has turned the tide. Pearson has officially stepped out of Craig's shadow and allows his unique, soulful voice to be heard. Pearson's ability to establish his own identity on this record has patched over any previous deficiencies in the musical relationship between him and Mess. The shifts between Mess' raw screams and Pearson's angelic falsetto singing are constant and abrupt, but every single change feels organic and their ability to feed off each others energy has built a really nice chemistry between them. Mess and Pearson have the perfect contrast in vocal styles that is needed for Dance Gavin Dance's abrasive yet poppy sound to thrive.

While the band's improved cohesiveness plays a crucial role in the success of Instant Gratification, its the work of the group's backbone, Swan and Mingus, that solidifies this record as Dance Gavin Dance's seminal piece of work. Swan and Mingus have been integral to the band's longevity as they've stayed focused and true to their creative vision with a treasure trove of musicians coming and going alongside them. While Mingus is an excellent drummer who doesn't get nearly enough love for his chops behind the kit, Swan has always been the most endearing aspect of this band and that's still very much the case here. As the group's primary songwriter and lead guitarist, Swan is the architect of Dance Gavin Dance's distinctly wide-spanning and bizarre sound. From the use of ultra-clean, pop-inspired melodies ("Awkward", "Something New") to  to distorted spastic technical riffing that wouldn't sound out of place on a Dillinger Escape Plan album ("Shark Dad", "Stroke God, Millionaire"), Swan is a thoroughly unpredictable player that is never less than thrilling to listen to. Mingus and Swan are the beating heart of Dance Gavin Dance and the scope of their abilities and unwavering dedication to this band has never been more apparent than it is on Instant Gratification  

Instant Gratification is the record Dance Gavin Dance has been striving to make for their entire career. It's still very much rooted in the pop and soul-tinged post-hardcore sound that they've had since their inception, it's just better realized than ever before. The instrumentation is more dynamic, the vocals are crisper and there are more earworms planted here than on anything they've released in the past. After the mediocrity of Downtown Battle Mountain II and Acceptance Speech, Instant Gratification is a reminder of the juggernaut Dance Gavin Dance can be when they're on the top of their game.

4/5 Stars
Standout Tracks
1.Stroke God, Millionaire
2.Shark Dad
3.We Own the Night         

2015 NFL Position Rankings: Top 25 Quarterbacks

With the draft completed and fallout from Ted Wells' Deflategate report dominating conversation in NFL media and fan circles, I figured now was an ideal time to kick off my annual NFL player ranking series. In the coming weeks, I'll be posting rankings of who I believe to be the best of the best at each position on offense, defense and special teams, starting today with quarterbacks. I hope this series provides some entertainment in the weeks and months before the regular season kicks off, and helps breaks up some of the monotony of the ongoing Deflategate debates. Lastly, I encourage everyone to debate my picks and/or post their own lists in the comments sections below!

Notes/Rules for These Lists:

1.Rookies are excluded from these rankings

2.Each player is judged on where they currently stand in my opinion, not the player they once were, are going to be, etc.

3.Each player is listed as member of the team they will play for in 2015, not who they played for in 2014.

   

25.Blake Bortles (Jaguars)

24.Derek Carr (Raiders)

23.Teddy Bridgewater (Vikings)

22.Colin Kaepernick (49ers)

21.Sam Bradford (Eagles)

20.Andy Dalton (Bengals)

19.Carson Palmer (Cardinals)

18.Jay Cutler (Bears)

17.Alex Smith (Chiefs)

16.Nick Foles (Rams)

15.Joe Flacco (Ravens)

14.Matthew Stafford (Lions)

13.Eli Manning (Giants)

12.Ryan Tannehill (Dolphins)

11.Cam Newton (Panthers)
10.Russell Wilson (Seahawks)

9.Phillip Rivers (Chargers)

8.Matt Ryan (Falcons)

7.Tony Romo (Cowboys)

6.Peyton Manning (Broncos)

5.Andrew Luck (Colts)

4.Ben Roethlisberger (Steelers)

3.Drew Brees (Saints)

2.Tom Brady (Patriots)

1.Aaron Rodgers (Packers)

Movie Review: Avengers: Age of Ultron

In 2012, Marvel Studios dropped the event film to end all event films with The Avengers. Marvel had been building up to the release of The Avengers for almost a decade with origin stories of all the main characters, which in turn built up an enormous excitement level for the release of Marvel's cornerstone film. The first on-screen team up of Captain America, Iron Man, Thor, The Incredible Hulk and other lesser Marvel heroes miraculously ended up living up to the hype as The Avengers was one of the most entertaining, amusing and  well-executed superhero movies of all-time. Three years later, the even more hotly anticipated sequel Age of Ultron has arrived. While Age of Ultron is a surefire bet to satisfy most fans of the Marvel universe, it can't avoid feeling seriously underwhelming in the shadow of its predecessor.

While it's unreasonable to expect the filmmakers to top the quality of the original, I expected a much better effort than this for the sequel to a landmark comic book film. Age of Ultron is basically the original film with a weaker villain, far less memorable action scenes and unnecessary subplots galore. The fact that this film is just a vastly inferior retread of the original is incredibly frustrating. Marvel films aren't exactly the benchmark for innovation in Hollywood, but I expected someone as creative and gifted as writer/director Joss Whedon to create something that doesn't feel as stale as this.

The vibe of familiarity that runs through Age of Ultron would be forgivable if the film was thoroughly entertaining, but it just isn't. There was a number of times- especially during the middle of the film- where I was nodding off in the theater. Whedon's script spends way too much time introducing but not really developing an abundance of new subplots and characters, and it becomes really exhausting. The incoherent and overly cluttered narrative is particularly baffling because Whedon did such a great job of balancing all of the characters in the first installment. In Age of Ultron, he seems to have forgotten how to achieve that balance. This film goes so overboard with character introductions, relationships and hints at future films in the Marvel universe that the film often becomes an overwhelming exercise in comic book excess instead of the fun, engaging blockbuster it should be. The drawn-out narrative also means the number of action sequences- which are the clear primary attraction in a film like this- are kept to a relatively small number. I have no issue with a superhero film not having an abundance of action scenes, but if you don't counteract that lack of action with a coherent and interesting story, the film is not going to be a booming success.

For all of the shortcomings with the script, Whedon steps up the comedic elements to the next level and its the main reason Age of Ultron is able to stay afloat. The humor is much more natural this time around and a majority of the one-liners and gags work beautifully. Not only are the jokes sharper, the cast is more comfortable delivering them. Robert Downey Jr. has been fantastic with comedic delivery since the first Iron Man film, but Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth and Jeremy Renner are now in the ballpark of Downey's level of comedic precision. Comedy in a superhero film is always a risky proposition, but Age of Ultron does it exceptionally well and it goes a long way in saving this movie from crashing and burning.

While the action is kept to a relative minimum for a Marvel film, there are still a couple of nice sequences along the way. The opening scene in a wooded Hydra fortress and the climatic battle with Ultron, which takes place on a flying city, are simply captivating to watch. These battles are absolutely massive in scope with dozens of people fighting at once, but Whedon is able to capture all the havoc being wreaked with some well-done quick-cut shots that match the chaotic nature of the scene. All of my bitching may lead you to believe the contrary, but Age of Ultron really isn't a bad movie. There's some great action scenes, a lot of laughs and the main cast is as good as ever, it's just way too pedestrian and disjointed to be anything noteworthy in the increasingly large stable of Marvel Studios films.

3/5 Stars 

2015 NFL Draft Recap + Top 50 Prospects and Top 5 Players by Position

The 2015 NFL Draft officially came to a close last night after three action-packed days in Chicago. Now that the chaos of the draft has subsided, here are my picks for what teams made the biggest splash and what teams missed the mark, the biggest reaches and steals, and a deep collection of other post-draft lists and analysis that you may or may not want.

Biggest Winner: Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jaguars have quietly been getting stronger by the season under head coach Gus Bradley and general manager Dave Caldwell and their third draft together was easily their most impressive work to date. They addressed all of their needs on both sides of the ball and made consistently smart selections throughout the draft. 1st round pick Dante Fowler Jr. has the most upside of any pass-rusher in the draft, 3rd round pick A.J. Cann is a mauler that immediately adds toughness to an offensive line that desperately needs it and the late-round selections of two players that were touted as 2nd-3rd round talents (wide receiver Rashad Greene and defensive tackle Michael Bennett) were amongst the top value picks of the entire draft. This strong draft class could be a huge factor in speeding up the Jaguars goal of finally getting out of the league's basement.
Honorable Mentions: Cleveland Browns, Chicago Bears, Houston Texans, Minnesota Vikings

Biggest Loser: Carolina Panthers
I've been critical of Panthers general manager Dave Gettleman's picks in the past and been proven wrong. Hell just last year I ripped the Panthers for taking wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin in the 1st round, who made me look like a total ass by having one of the strongest seasons of any rookie in the league in 2014. That being said, I'm really struggling to see how this draft class will improve this roster. The Panthers spent a 1st- round pick on a guy in Shaq Thompson who doesn't have a true position then proceeded to trade away their 3rd and 6th picks to move up 16 spots in the 2nd round and select wide receiver Devin Funchess, who is a boom-or-bust prospect with some of the most inconsistent hands and route-running of any wideout in this draft class. Worst of all, the Panthers once again all but completely ignored their biggest need at offensive line. Tackle Daryl Williams, who was selected in the 4th round, has some potential, but they really needed to bring more bodies in since they have no reliable starters aside from center Ryan Kalil currently on their line. The Panthers are knocking on the door of being legitimate title contenders, but I don't believe this draft class will do much to help improve their standing in the talent-loaded NFC. 
Dishonorable Mentions: Kansas City Chiefs,  Seattle Seahawks, Indianapolis Colts, San Fransisco 49ers

Biggest Steal: Malcom Brown, defensive tackle (Round 1, 32nd overall, New England Patriots)
I'm still in awe that Malcom Brown fell into the Patriots lap at the tail-end of the 1st round. Brown was a top 15-caliber prospect who has a nose for the ball and is quite possibly the best pure interior run-stuffer in this draft class. Brown should help immediately patch up the defensive line and rush defense woes that plagued the Patriots a year ago.
Honorable Mentions: Shane Ray, defensive end/outside linebacker (Round 1, 23rd overall, Denver Broncos), Jaelen Strong, wide receiver (Round 3, 70th overall, Houston Texans), Maxx Williams, tight end (Round 2, 55th overall, Baltimore Ravens), Eric Kendricks, inside linebacker (Round 2, 45th overall, Minnesota Vikings)

Biggest Reach: Marcus Mariota, quarterback (Round 1, 2nd overall, Tennessee Titans)
Marcus Mariota has already been touted as a savior for the Tennessee Titans, but I just don't see it. Spending the 2nd pick in the draft on a guy who's never played in a pro-style system, panics when his first read isn't open and has next-to-no pocket awareness doesn't really make a whole lot of sense to me, especially given how talent-barren the Titans roster is on the whole. If Mariota ends up failing, the entire organization is going to regret not taking Philadelphia's insane trade offer for the number 2 pick.
Dishonorable Mentions: Ereck Flowers, tackle (Round 1,9th overall, New York Giants), Shaq Thompson, (Round 1, 25th overall, Carolina Panthers), Cedric Ogbuehi, tackle (Round 1, 21st overall, Cincinnati Bengals), Frank Clark, defensive end (Round 2, 63rd overall, Seattle Seahawks)

Top 5 Potential Sleepers:
1.Jamison Crowder, wide receiver (Round 4, 105th overall, Washington Redskins)
2.Ifo Expre-Olumu, cornerback (Round 7, 241st overall, Cleveland Browns)
3.Kwon Alexander, outside linebacker (Round 4, 124th overall, Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
4.JaCorey Shepard, cornerback (Round 6, 191st overall, Philadelphia Eagles)
5.MyCole Pruitt, tight end (Round 5, 143rd overall, Minnesota Vikings)

Top 5 Potential Busts
1.Marcus Mariota, quarterback (Round 1, 2nd overall, Tennessee Titans)
2.Arik Armstead, defensive tackle/end (Round 1, 17th overall, San Fransisco 49ers)
3.Jalen Collins, cornerback (Round 2, 42nd overall, Atlanta Falcons)
4.Cedric Ogbuehi, tackle (Round 1, 21st overall, Cincinnati Bengals)
5.Shaq Thompson, outside linebacker/safety (Round 1, 25th overall, Carolina Panthers)

Top 50 Prospects
1.Leonard Williams, defensive tackle/end (USC) selected 6th overall by the New York Jets
2.Dante Fowler Jr., outside linebacker/defensive end (Florida) selected 3rd overall by the Jacksonville Jaguars
3.Kevin White, wide receiver (West Virginia), selected 7th overall by the Chicago Bears
4.Vic Beasley, outside linebacker (Clemson), selected 8th overall by the Atlanta Falcons
5.Amari Cooper, wide receiver (Alabama), selected 4th overall by the Oakland Raiders
6.Brandon Scherff, guard/tackle (Iowa), selected 5th overall by the Washington Redskins
7.Todd Gurley, running back (Georgia), selected 10th overall by the St. Louis Rams
8.Trae Waynes, cornerback (Michigan State), selected 11th overall by the Minnesota Vikings
9.Alvin "Bud" Dupree, defensive end/outside linebacker (Kentucky), selected 22nd overall by the Pittsburgh Steelers
10.Danny Shelton, defensive tackle (Washington), selected 12th overall by the Cleveland Browns
11.Shane Ray, defensive end/outside linebacker (Missouri), selected 23rd overall by the Denver Broncos
12.Dorial Green-Beckham, wide receiver (Missouri), selected 40th overall by the Tennessee Titans
13.Malcom Brown, defensive tackle (Texas), selected 32nd overall by the New England Patriots
14.Kevin Johnson, cornerback (Wake Forest), selected 16th overall by the Houston Texans
15.Landon Collins, safety (Alabama), selected 33rd overall by the New York Giants
16.Nelson Agholor, wide receiver (USC), selected 20th overall by the Philadelphia Eagles
17.Cameron Erving, center/guard/tackle (Florida State), selected 19th overall by the Cleveland Browns
18.Andrus Peat, tackle (Stanford), selected 13th overall by the New Orleans Saints
19.Jameis Winston, quarterback (Florida State), selected 1st overall by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
20.Eric Kendricks, inside linebacker (UCLA), selected 45th overall by the Minnesota Vikings
21.Laken Tomlinson, guard (Duke), selected 28th overall by the Detroit Lions
22.Jaelen Strong, wide receiver (Arizona State), selected 70th overall by the Houston Texans
23.Denzel Perryman, inside linebacker (Miami) selected 48th overall by the San Diego Chargers
24.DeVante Parker, wide receiver (Louisville), selected 14th overall by the Miami Dolphins
25.Maxx Williams, tight end (Minnesota), selected 55th overall by the Baltimore Ravens
26.Byron Jones, cornerback (Connecticut), selected 27th overall by the Dallas Cowboys
27.D.J. Humphries, tackle (Florida), selected 24th overall by the Arizona Cardinals
28.Breshad Perriman, wide receiver (Central Florida), selected 26th overall by the Baltimore Ravens
29.Ameer Abdullah, running back (Nebraska), selected 54th overall by the Detroit Lions
30.Jake Fisher, tackle (Oregon), selected 53rd overall by the Cincinnati Bengals
31.Ronald Darby, cornerback (Florida State), selected 50th overall by the Buffalo Bills
32.Jay Ajayi, running back (Boise State), selected 149th overall by the Miami Dolphins
33.Carl Davis, defensive tackle (Iowa), selected 90th overall by the Baltimore Ravens
34.Marcus Peters, cornerback (Washington), selected 18th overall by the Kansas City Chiefs
35.Ereck Flowers, tackle (Miami), selected 9th overall by the New York Giants
36.Randy Gregory, outside linebacker (Nebraska), selected 60th overall by the Dallas Cowboys
37.Eddie Goldman, defensive tackle/end (Florida State), selected 39th overall by the Chicago Bears
38.Benardrick McKinney, inside linebacker (Mississippi State), selected 43rd overall by the Houston Texans
39.Phillip Dorsett, wide receiver (Miami), selected 29th overall by the Indianapolis Colts
40.Eli Harold, outside linebacker (Virginia), selected 79th overall by the San Fransisco 49ers
41.A.J. Cann, guard (South Carolina), selected 67th overall by the Jacksonville Jaguars
42.Damarious Randall, safety (Arizona State), selected 30th overall by the Green Bay Packers
43.Duke Johnson, running back (Miami), selected 77th overall by the Cleveland Browns
44.Paul Dawson, inside linebacker (TCU), selected 99th overall by the Cincinnati Bengals
45.Jordan Phillips, defensive tackle (Oklahoma), selected 52nd overall by the Miami Dolphins
46.Stephone Anthony, inside linebacker (Clemson), selected 31st overall by the New Orleans Saints
47.Devin Smith, wide receiver (Ohio State), selected 37th overall by the New York Jets
48.Melvin Gordon, running back (Wisconsin), selected 15th overall by the San Diego Chargers
49.Tyler Lockett, wide receiver (Kansas State), selected 69th overall by the Seattle Seahawks
50.T.J. Yeldon, running back (Alabama), selected 36th overall by the Jacksonville Jaguars

Top 5 Players by Position  
Quarterback
1.Jameis Winston (Florida State) NFL Team: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
2.Bryce Petty (Baylor) NFL Team: New York Jets
3.Brett Hundley (UCLA) NFL Team: Green Bay Packers
4.Marcus Mariota (Oregon) NFL Team: Tennessee Titans
5.Sean Mannion (Oregon State) NFL Team: St. Louis Rams

Running Back
1.Todd Gurley (Georgia) NFL Team: St. Louis Rams
2.Ameer Abdullah (Nebraska) NFL Team: Detroit Lions
3.Jay Ajayi (Boise State) NFL Team: Miami Dolphins
4.Duke Johnson (Miami) NFL Team: Cleveland Browns
5.Melvin Gordon (Wisconsin) NFL Team: San Diego Chargers

Wide Receiver
1.Kevin White (West Virginia) NFL Team: Chicago Bears
2.Amari Cooper (Alabama) NFL Team: Oakland Raiders
3.Dorial Green-Beckham (Missouri) NFL Team: Tennessee Titans
4.Nelson Agholor (USC) NFL Team: Philadelphia Eagles
5.Jaelen Strong (Arizona State) NFL Team: Houston Texans

Tight End
1.Maxx Williams (Minnesota) NFL Team: Baltimore Ravens
2.Clive Walford (Miami) NFL Team: Oakland Raiders
3.Blake Bell (Oklahoma) NFL Team: San Fransisco 49ers
4.Nick O'Leary (Florida State) NFL Team: Buffalo Bills
5.Tyler Kroft (Rutgers) NFL Team: Cincinnati Bengals

Tackle
1.Andrus Peat (Stanford) NFL Team: New Orleans Saints
2.D.J. Humphries (Florida) NFL Team: Arizona Cardinals
3.Jake Fisher (Oregon) NFL Team: Cincinnati Bengals
4.Ereck Flowers (Miami) NFL Team: New York Giants
5.T.J. Clemmings (Pittsburgh) NFL Team: Minnesota Vikings

Center
1.Cameron Erving (Florida State) NFL Team: Cleveland Browns
2.Hrnoiss Grasu (Oregon) NFL Team: Chicago Bears
3.Ali Marpet (Hobart) NFL Team: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
4.Resse Dismukes (Auburn) NFL Team: Pittsburgh Steelers
5.Andy Gallik (Boston College) NFL Team: Tennessee Titans

Guard
1.Brandon Scherff (Iowa) NFL Team: Washington Redskins
2.Laken Tomlinson (Duke) NFL Team: Detroit Lions
3.A.J. Cann (South Carolina) NFL Team: Jacksonville Jaguars
4.Tre' Jackson (Florida State) NFL Team: New England Patriots
5.John Miller (Louisville) NFL Team: Buffalo Bills

Defensive End
1.Dante Fowler. Jr (Florida) NFL Team: Jacksonville Jaguars
2.Bud Dupree (Kentucky) NFL Team: Pittsburgh Steelers
3.Shane Ray (Missouri) NFL Team: Denver Broncos
4.Owamagbe Odighizuwa (UCLA) NFL Team: New York Giants
5.Danielle Hunter (LSU) NFL Team: Minnesota Vikings

Defensive Tackle
1.Leonard Williams (USC) NFL Team: New York Jets
2.Danny Shelton (Washington) NFL Team: Cleveland Browns
3.Malcom Brown (Texas) NFL Team: New England Patriots
4.Carl Davis (Iowa) NFL Team: Baltimore Ravens
5.Eddie Goldman (Florida State) NFL Team: Chicago Bears

Inside Linebacker
1.Eric Kendricks (UCLA) NFL Team: Minnesota Vikings
2.Denzel Perryman (Miami) NFL Team: San Diego Chargers
3.Benardrick McKinney (Mississippi State) NFL Team: Houston Texans
4.Paul Dawson (TCU) NFL Team: Cincinnati Bengals
5.Stephone Anthony (Clemson) NFL Team: New Orleans Saints

Outside Linebacker
1.Vic Beasley (Clemson) NFL Team: Atlanta Falcons
2.Randy Gregory (Nebraska) NFL Team: Dallas Cowboys
3.Eli Harold (Virgina) NFL Team: San Fransisco 49ers
4.Preston Smith (Mississippi State) NFL Team: Washington Redskins
5.Hau'oli Kikaha (Washington) NFL Team: New Orleans Saints

Cornerback
1.Trae Waynes (Michigan State) NFL Team: Minnesota Vikings
2.Kevin Johnson (Wake Forest) NFL Team: Houston Texans
3.Byron Jones (Connecticut) NFL Team: Dallas Cowboys
4.Ronald Darby (Florida State) NFL Team: Buffalo Bills
5.Marcus Peters (Washington) NFL Team: Kansas City Chiefs

Safety
1.Landon Collins (Alabama) NFL Team: New York Giants
2.Damarious Randall (Arizona State) NFL Team: Green Bay Packers
3.Jaquiski Tartt (Samford) NFL Team: San Fransisco 49ers
4.Derron Smith (Fresno State) NFL Team: Cincinnati Bengals
5.James Sample (Louisville) NFL Team: Jacksonville Jaguars

Team Draft Grades (For a list of every team's selections, click here: http://www.nfl.com/draft/2015/tracker/by-round#dt-tabs:dt-by-team)
Arizona Cardinals: B-
Atlanta Falcons: B
Baltimore Ravens:  A-
Buffalo Bills: B+
Carolina Panthers: C- 
Chicago Bears: A
Cincinnati Bengals: A-
Cleveland Browns: A
Dallas Cowboys: B-
Denver Broncos: B
Detroit Lions: B+
Green Bay Packers: B-
Houston Texans: A
Indianapolis Colts: C 
Jacksonville Jaguars: A
Kansas City Chiefs: C
Miami Dolphins: A-
Minnesota Vikings: A
New England Patriots: B+
New Orleans Saints: B+
New York Giants: B-
New York Jets: B+
Oakland Raiders: B
Philadelphia Eagles: B+
Pittsburgh Steelers: A-
San Diego Chargers: B
San Fransisco 49ers: C+
Seattle Seahawks: C
St. Louis Rams: B
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: B
Tennessee Titans: B
Washington Redskins: B+

10 Best Players Available on Day 2 of the NFL Draft

Day 2 of the NFL Draft starts tonight at 7 P.M. EST. Here are my picks for the 10 best guys available heading into Rounds 2 and 3.

1.Dorial Green-Beckham, wide receiver (Missouri)
2.Landon Collins, safety (Alabama)
3.Eric Kendricks, inside linebacker (UCLA)
4.Jaelen Strong, wide receiver (Arizona State)
5.Denzel Perryman, inside linebacker (Miami)
6.Maxx Williams, tight end (Minnesota)
7.Ameer Abdullah, running back (Nebraska)
8.Jake Fisher, tackle (Oregon)
9.Ronald Darby, cornerback (Florida State)
10.Jay Ajayi, running back (Boise State)
Honorable Mentions: Carl Davis, defensive tackle (Iowa), Randy Gregory, outside linebacker (Nebraska), Eddie Goldman, defensive tackle/end (Florida State), Eli Harold, defensive end/outside linebacker (Virginia), A.J. Cann, guard (South Carolina)