Back to (Blogging About) Football!

Anyone else a little confused about the NFL's slogan for the 2011 season? Don't get me wrong, I understand the message and what the league is trying to do, but "Back to Football"? Really? What exactly did we miss? Rookie mini-camps? OTAs? Free-agent signings? Correct me if I'm wrong but the 2010 season ended with the Green Bay Packers defeating the Pittsburgh Steelers in the Super Bowl. The 2011 season kicks off on September 8th. All we "missed" was a majority of the off-season.

But you know what? The slogan is working, or at least it seems to be. In fact, it makes you feel good just to say it, doesn't it? "Man I'm just glad this lockout is over so we can finally get back to football." Try it, it makes you sound like you were really strung out from the battle between the owners and players this off-season over a new collective bargaining agreement.

I'll be honest, I know it was an absolute nightmare for NFL execs, free agents and their agents once the lockout finally lifted...but man it was fun to watch. What was once spread over several months was done in a matter of days this year. And with the college football season kicking off Thursday night it is nice to know that we can now turn our attention...Back to Football!

NFL Draft Day(s) Success!

The 2011 NFL Draft has come and gone and we're happy to report that it was another banner year for Under Armour Senior Bowl players. A total of 83 guys off of our 2011 roster were selected over the three day event, including 12 in the first round.

The Senior Bowl also extended some pretty impressive streaks this year at the draft. First, when Von Miller went second overall to the Denver Broncos it marked the 15th consecutive year that we've had a top 10 pick! Six picks after Miller was selected, the Senior Bowl had their first quarterback taken when Jake Locker went 8th overall to the Tennessee Titans. Locker's selection marked the first time since 2008 (Sedrick Ellis, Keith Rivers) that we've had two top ten picks.

Another streak that we extended this year was the number of consecutive years that we've had 10 or more first round selections. That number now stands at seven after the aforementioned 12 first rounders this year. It was also a great year to be a Senior Bowl quarterback with two signal callers going in the first 12 picks (Locker-8th, Christian Ponder-12th, Minnesota) and two more going in the early portion of the second round (Andy Dalton-35th, Cincinnati, Colin Kaepernick-36th, San Francisco). This was the first year that we've had four quarterbacks taken in the first 36 picks!

It's always exciting to see our players get drafted after getting to know these guys leading up to Senior Bowl week and then of course develeoping those relationships when they finally do arrive here in Mobile in late January each year. Congrats to all of our draftees and once we get this NFL lockout thing squared away, we're confident that the players that went undrafted will land free agent deals.

Here are some of the highlights of the 2011 NFL Draft as it pertains to the Senior Bowl:

• 12 first round selections (15 juniors were selected)


• First senior player at 12 different positions (QB,TE,OG,OT,WR,DE,DT,OLB,S,ILB,K,FB)


• 7 straight years with 10 or more first round picks


• 15 straight years with a top ten pick


• Miller going 2nd overall was highest Sr. Bowl draftee since '03 (C.Palmer-1st overall)


• Two QBs selected in first 12 picks, four QBs selected in first 36 picks


• 30 of 32 NFL teams selected at least 1 Sr. Bowler (Redskins with league high 6)