Unfortunately for Hagg, a poor showing at the Senior Bowl and the Combine really hurt his draft stock and with 2010 being his only truly impressive season, he slide down draft boards like many players before him. 

At 6'1" and 209 lbs Hagg runs in the 4.5-4.6 range depending on the day of the week, but his game film shows a player who's simply quicker once the action is for real. 

With five interceptions in 2010, Hagg was instrumental in leading Nebraska to one of the top pass defenses in the country. It's why he was voted by his teammates as the Cornhuskers MVP. He may not have the speed and range scouts look for, but Hagg is a gamer.

The fact that he fell all the way to the back end of the seventh round is very surprising and there's a good chance he ends up sticking on the Brown's roster. 

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Of course this year we enter the draft in uncharted waters, with no collective bargaining agreement and no guarantee there will even be an NFL season in the fall.

So unlike most years when free agency opens in March and roster holes are plugged with veterans, the process is reversed this time around. Free agency, when it eventually happens, will come after the draft.

That means teams will reach for needs on draft day with no prospects of trading players or acquiring any talent outside of rounds one through seven. 

In Carolina's case, it means Cam Newton.

Of course, if Andrew Luck was available, we wouldn't be having this conversation. However, with Newton standing as the most intriguing and physically gifted of a questionable group of first-round graded quarterbacks, the conversation turns to him.

Sure, the Panthers can go defense with the first overall selection, but like almost every other franchise picking early, the need for a game changer is greater than usual. It may be their only shot.

Come April 28, we'll find out.

For a look at all things related to the NFL Draft, check out our NFL Draft Hub.

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The rankings are based on production this season, not on a player's NFL potential. A great college career and success in the NFL are two very different things, we all know that. 

Here's this season's top 25 college running backs and their potential in the pros.

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Despite struggling for much of the last three seasons, Thomas is still considered to be a solid outside linebacker with enough production left in the tank to make a significant impact next season. 

He's a versatile athlete with great size and strength. Thomas is at home in the 3-4 and plays both the run and the pass very well—he'd fit right into the Dolphins' scheme. Even though he recorded only three sacks in 2009, a change of scenery could be exactly what he needs to get back on track. 

That might be exactly what Miami's front office is thinking, but they aren't going to overspend to see him join the club. If he's willing to join the team on the cheap, they'll jump at the chance to sign him, but at the moment the sides appear far apart.

At 32 years old, age isn't really an issue for Thomas, but it doesn't help his case either. He's got two, maybe three, productive years left in the tank and won't be given the starting nod over younger guys if the competition is close. 

The Dolphins are hoping that second-round pick Koa Misi emerges as the starting strongside linebacker in 2010 and will give him every chance possible to earn that role—even if it means benching a player like Thomas. 

If they were to sign Thomas and then relegate him to reserve role, he would voice his displeasure loud and clear just like he did a year ago in New England.

Miami doesn't need that kind of negative attitude in the locker room.

That isn't to say they shouldn't be interested in Thomas, because they certainly should be. It just makes it very understandable why they aren't willing to open their wallet too wide for him even though they don't have any proven talents at outside linebacker.

Everything would work out fine if Thomas were to be the starter, but it could get ugly real quickly if he weren't. That type of gamble just isn't worth it when a large contract is attached.  

So for now, Miami will play the waiting game and hope Thomas drops his asking price to something more realistic. If he wants to play against the Patriots twice a year, which he's been rumored to be very interested in doing, that's exactly what he'll need to do. 

The New York Jets also have a lot of interest in Thomas, but like the Dolphins, aren't going to sign over a hefty check for a player they might not be able to count on throughout the season. 

Neither team appears likely to bend on their stance, so if Thomas wants to come to the AFC East, he needs to come to his senses first.

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By now most of the football world has heard about Jeff Ireland's ill conceived question to Dez Bryant regarding whether or not his mother was a prostitute. Exactly what the context was or the reasoning behind the question is something that can be debated, but it will never be resolved. 

The reality is that many general managers had questions about Bryant's mother and it's common practice to poke and prod players for any number of reasons; if even just to gauge their reaction.

That isn't to say Ireland didn't take it a step too far, he surely could have been more tactful in his interrogation. But on the flipside, the national reaction has gone overboard in its condemnation and vilification of the Dolphins general manager.

If this was an isolated incident, rather than a developing trend, Ireland wouldn't be at the center of so much scrutiny. If he hadn't just taken so much negative heat for the handling of the Jason Taylor situation, or been openly called out by former Dolphin great Zach Thomas, Ireland probably would have remained out of the spotlight. 

As more and more of these stories continue to surface though, the players, media, and fans are starting to realize that a pattern of behavior is emerging that can't simply be ignored each time it comes up. 

When the Dolphins released Thomas within the first few weeks of the Bill Parcells era it seemed harsh, but was understandable. Thomas was an aging veteran with a history of concussions and an inflated contract. 

Thomas recently came forward and admitted that after he'd been released he asked if he could have a press conference simply to say farewell to the fans. In response, he was flatly told no; that the Dolphins facilities were for players only. That's the kind of disrespect that shouldn't be given to an icon of the franchise. 

That same token goes for Jason Taylor. Whether or not the Dolphins should have re-signed him is besides the point. If they didn't feel he was a good fit for the team, that's their decision to make, but there's something to be said about the way it all went down. If Parcells and Co. didn't wan't him back, they should have made it clear months ago and moved on.

Instead, they dragged out the situation for as long as they could. They made an offer in November and then retracted it, followed by an insulting offer after the season. Then they arranged a meeting with Tony Sparano before the draft and cancelled it, and ultimately drove Taylor out the door and straight to New York.

Taylor said he felt disrespected, when the truth is he was straight up insulted. He may not be a "Parcells guy," but when it comes down to it, you simply do not treat franchise greats in that manner. He deserved more.

It seems the trifecta put themselves above such standards though, and their arrogance has been noted on more occasions than that.

When free agent safety Ryan Clark abruptly canceled his trip to Davie halfway through the scheduled visit, and instead returned to Pittsburgh to re-sign with the Steelers, he did so out of more than loyalty to the franchise that gave him his first shot. 

Clark later quietly admitted he felt uncomfortable with the Dolphins front office. 

When Calvin Pace spurned Miami to instead sign a richer deal with the Jets in 2008, he made some similar comments; although the dollars probably held more prominent sway in that decision. 

The evidence can't be ignored though. Each of these incidents alone doesn't mean much, but together they paint a bigger picture that isn't as bright as the future of this franchise appears.

For as much as the front office has done to bring in talent and reinvent this roster, and for all the positives that have emerged on the field, there are reasonable concerns that this franchise is developing a poor reputation for player-friendliness. 

If it continues, agents might steer their clients away, and coaches and scouts could look toward greener pastures. 

The Dez Bryant situation put the microscope over Jeff Ireland and the football world is taking a much closer look into his every move. 

How he reacts to all this will have a bigger impact on the future of this franchise than you might think.

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