Bucky Brooks joined Matt “Money” Smith at NFL Network Studios to wrap up the 2011 NFL season and rev up preparation for the 2012 NFL Scouting Combine.

With all eyes turning toward the combine and the 2012 NFL Draft, the podcast looks back at recent interviews with Washington Redskins head coach Mike Shanahan, Atlanta Falcons GM Thomas Dimitroff and 2011 Heisman Trophy winner Robert Griffin III.

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Bucky Brooks joins Matt “Money” Smith from Indianapolis to break down what he saw at the Senior Bowl and whose draft stock is rising. Plus, hear who Bucky believes could be the next Wes Welker in the league.

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If Cam Newton is to succeed as an NFL quarterback, he’ll do a lot to restore the mystique of the Heisman Trophy — at least when it comes to quarterbacks.

That’s because there really is no mystique. It’s been a long, long time since a Heisman-winning passer has had a great NFL career. In fact, Carson Palmer and Vinny Testaverde aside, most of their careers have flat-out stunk. Doug Flutie had a great professional career, but the majority of his highlights came north of the border in the CFL. If you remove those three from the equation, the average career win total of the last 15 Heisman-winning quarterbacks is also north … of three. That’s no misprint: The majority of those quarterbacks deemed college football’s best player won an average of 3.25 (3.25!) starts in their NFL career.

Sam Bradford and Tim Tebow are included in that group of players, and obviously there are many votes yet to be cast on their careers. Bradford especially should alter the less-than-flattering Heisman numbers.

It should be noted that not every winner of sports’ most prestigious individual award took a big step back in the pros. Jim Plunkett, like Newton a No. 1 overall pick (1971 out of Stanford), won two Super Bowls with the Raiders. Roger Staubach also captured two Lombardi Trophies with the Cowboys and was a first-ballot Hall of Famer in 1985.

– Elliot Harrison

With the 76th NFL draft in the books, it gives us one more chance to argue which schools are true “football factories.”

Clearly, it’s not Bethel University in McKenzie, Tenn., the former home of Bills seventh-round pick Michael Jasper, who is hoping to team with Buffalo’s first-round pick, Marcell Dareus of Alabama, to bolster the league’s worst run defense.

Nor is it California (PA), where Titans seventh-round pick Tommie Campbell roamed last season.

So which school has bragging rights? You might be surprised, but one of the nation’s basketball powerhouses can claim — at least for a year — to be the preeminent supplier of football talent to the NFL, along with USC (no surprise there), in 2011.

Here’s the list of former Tar Heels now taking residence with various teams around the league: Robert Quinn (14th overall, Rams), Bruce Carter (40th, Cowboys), Marvin Austin (52nd, Giants), Greg Little (59th, Browns), Da’Norris Searcy (100th, Bills), Johnny White (133rd, Bills), Taylor Yates (152nd, Texans), Quan Sturdivant (171st, Cardinals), Ryan Taylor (218th, Packers).

This isn’t normal for North Carolina. In the previous five years combined, the Tar Heels only had 10 guys taken in the draft.

– Elliot Harrison

Click on the links below to view more images from the 2011 NFL Draft. (National Football League)

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NEW YORK — It seemed pretty odd at the time, that the Eagles and Patriots swapped pick Nos. 193 and 194 in the fifth round of the 2011 NFL Draft. What made the trade a bit more strange was that it was announced about 30 picks ahead of time, near the end of the fourth round.

As the 21st of 22 trades made during this NFL draft, it simply went like this: Eagles get pick No. 193. Patriots get pick 194. That’s it.

None of us could figure out who benefited from the trade, or why it was made. But after some digging, the answers are “no one ” and “just for fun.”

The Patriots and Eagles apparently made this trade just for kicks. The internet rumors that the teams have conducted draft-day trades every year since Bill Belichick arrived in New England in 2000 are far from true. In fact, according to the fine folks with the Patriots, the teams have conducted four trades since the 2000 season and this is their second-ever draft-day trade.

Nonetheless, it still appears this was just for fun. Although, we have to wonder if there’s a free dinner involved from Andy Reid to Belichick to grease the wheels to get the Patriots to move down that one spot.

– Frank Tadych

NEW YORK — In an unscientific straw poll conducted during the seventh round, we asked some NFL.com and NFL Network personalities for their favorite picks of Day 3 of the 2011 NFL Draft:

Gil Brandt: OL Marcus Cannon, Patriots, Round 5 (138) — I’m not convinced he’ll even play for the Patriots this season due to recent medical concerns, but when you have multiple picks in a round, you can make picks like this. If he’s healthy this year, he’ll be great, and I think he’s a Pro Bowl-level player.

Charles Davis: RB Jacquizz Rodgers, Falcons, Round 5 (145) — He’s one of my favorite players in the draft, and I had him going in Rounds 2 to 3. He’s extremely versatile but gets downplayed because of his small stature. He’ll produce for the Falcons.

Jason La Canfora: OLB Chris Carter, Steelers, Round 5 (162) — I have a feeling the Steelers are going to be able to get legit bang for the buck out of Carter. I love the fit there. A scout told me, “If you love Von Miller, you’re going to at least like this kid.”

Michael Lombardi: TE D.J. Williams, Packers, Round 5 (141) — Williams is a nice pick for the Packers’ system and a complement to what they do offensively. As an H-back type, he will line up in the backfield and off the line.

Pat Kirwan: OLB Sam Acho, Cardinals, Round 4 (103) —  I do love the Marcus Cannon pick. But I think Acho should have been drafted on Day 2. He’s going into a perfect situation in Arizona with their older group of linebackers. I think Acho is a mature player and will do very well.

Mike Mayock: SS Ahmad Black, Bucs, Round 5 (151) — He’s short and slow, but tough and productive. He’ll be a core special teams player and impossible to cut.

– Frank Tadych

NEW YORK — The top seven quarterback prospects all went early in the 2011 NFL Draft, many of them earlier than expected. But each quarterback enters a different scenario with his new team, with unique circumstances determining how early they will be expected to contribute.

Here’s a look at the quarterbacks I believe are in the “best fits” based on their new teams and those expectations:

1. Ryan Mallett, Patriots (Round 3, No. 74) – He might be the luckiest guy in this draft. He’s a pocket passer with a big arm and Tom Brady-like skills. The Patriots either landed a long-term starter for 10 seasons after Brady, or they’ll trade him for a higher pick than he originally cost. He absolutely fits what Belichick wants in a quarterback for his offense. What they do with Brady, they can do with Mallett. 

2. Blaine Gabbert, Jaguars (1, 10) – I like this fit for Gabbert because of starter David Garrard and offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter. Gabbert won’t be rushed onto the field. When you can do that for a quarterback, you have a much better chance of success.

3. Andy Dalton, Bengals (2, 35) – Will he get to sit and learn behind Carson Palmer, or will he have to play because Palmer isn’t coming back? It would be perfect if Dalton could sit for a year. If he has to play right away, the expectations will be high, and he’ll throw to very young receivers (assuming Chad Ochocinco and Terrell Owens aren’t around). The Bengals might look better in November than September.

4. Colin Kaepernick, 49ers (2, 36) – I find this interesting. I think the 49ers will bring back Alex Smith. Both can get to the edge of the field, and new coach Jim Harbaugh will tailor the offense off the bootleg and to their strengths. The shotgun and three-step drop is what Kaepernick can do. Harbaugh will make him a good player.

5. Christian Ponder, Vikings (1, 12) – I’m not buying that Ponder is ready to play because of experience under center. The NFC North is tough. Ponder will be asked to do more than he can. It will help that he’ll play indoors often, because his arm isn’t strong, and having Adrian Peterson behind him. The Vikings don’t have anyone else, and Ponder has to play. And I don’t like that situation.

6. Jake Locker, Titans (1, 8 ) – I’m afraid Locker will have to play too soon, and he’s clearly not ready mechanically. If we see him on the field as a rookie, we’ll see what troubled him at Washington. It would be nice if the Titans would go slow with Locker and start Kerry Collins. It’s a great fit in the Titans’ offense and the play-action game off the bootleg with Chris Johnson.

7. Cam Newton, Panthers (1, 1) – Newton might have to be on the field too early. The Panthers don’t have that many veterans, and their receivers are very inexperienced. It’s too much, and I’m a little nervous for Newton. It’s not a good fit.

NEW YORK — It’s far too early to anoint anyone the steal of the 2011 NFL Draft. But if Marcus Cannon can bounce back from a reportedly treatable form of non-Hodgkins lymphoma — which he found out about last week and is expected to be mostly recovered from in several weeks — he could be that player.

That would work out well for the Patriots, who used the 138th overall pick in the draft on a player many experts had rated as a second-round talent. To get a sense of the high opinions on Cannon, NFL.com’s Pat Kirwan had him at No. 33 overall on his big board. NFL Network’s Mike Mayock listed Cannon at No. 47, and NFL.com’s Gil Brandt had him in the 41-to-50 tier.

NFL Network’s Michael Lombardi reported Saturday the Bears had been prepared, before word of Cannon’s condition spread, to take him in the first round. In a draft in which they owned the strength of multiple picks, including two in the fifth round, the Patriots took what Lombardi calls a “calculated risk.”

“If a risk wasn’t in their favor, they wouldn’t waste a draft pick on it,” Lombardi said. ”I think that they believe within a few weeks he can be cleared up, and then they have a first-round (caliber) pick. Their doctors feel comfortable with (Cannon) at that pick in that round. Had they wanted to pick him in the second round, I’m not sure they would have felt that comfortable there. Everything New England does is a calculated risk.”

Lombardi considers Cannon one of the better tackles in the draft who can play any line position other than center, and a player he compares to Pro Bowler Donald Penn of the Bucs. That type of addition certainly would be a steal for the Patriots, who might have found two starters along a line potentially undergoing major changes in Cannon and first-round pick Nate Solder.

Much like their third-round pick of QB Ryan Mallett, this calculated risk could pay huge dividends for the Patriots.

– Frank Tadych

NEW YORK — Coach Pete Carroll isn’t keeping the Seahawks’ draft strategy cloaked in mystery. It certainly wouldn’t have been possible, anyway, after the team used its first two draft picks on Alabama OT James Carpenter (No. 25) and Wisconsin OG John Moffitt (No. 75).

“I think we made a statement about what we’re trying to get done: We wanted to get tougher and stronger up front and make it more competitive,” Carroll told NFL Network. ”We moved with both our picks to do just that, I hope. Carpenter is a fantastically physical kid, loves to get after it and will give us good run play, and will also do a great job in the pass game. Moffitt is physical, as tough as can be. Both of those guys give us the kind of guys we want to make a statement with to improve our front.”

NFL.com analyst Pat Kirwan noted that the Seahawks, like many teams, became intrigued with Moffitt while scouting Wisconsin teammate Gabe Carimi.

Seattle now has rebuilt the right side of its line, as Kirwan expects Moffitt at right guard next to Carpenter at right tackle. With former first-rounder Russell Okung entrenched at left tackle, here’s a tip from Kirwan: Expect the Seahawks to fill their need at left guard in free agency.

– Frank Tadych

NEW YORK — Bill Parcells taught me a long time ago how to transition a roster from one defensive scheme to another. When Parcells originally went to Dallas, he didn’t want to play the 4-3, but it took him two years to find the right players and move to the 3-4.

The Broncos and Texans, both of whom will run new schemes next season, realize they can immediately make the move because this is a great draft for defense. Teams won’t be successful with a scheme change without finding the right players, and the Broncos and Texans are learning from the mistakes of teams that failed at it.

By adding a few free agents to fill the holes after the draft, I think you’ll see the Broncos and Texans successfully make the transition in 2011.

Four of Denver’s first five picks were defensive players, and when your head coach is a defensive guy like John Fox, the process will happen faster. The front seven is most critical to this change. Von Miller will play on the weak side for the Broncos, might record double-digit sacks and could see time on the same side as Elvis Dumervil in fire-zone looks. Rahim Moore was the best safety on the board and will be the heir apparent to Brian Dawkins. Denver also grabbed LB Nate Irving in Round 3 and S Quinton Carter in Round 4.

The Texans, who have the most radical changeover, used their first four picks on defensive players who can switch to new coordinator Wade Phillips‘ 3-4. I still believe they need another nose tackle to play in a rotation with Shaun Cody if they don’t take one later in the draft.

Second-round pick Brooks Reed fits perfectly as the strong-side outside linebacker who can play the run, drop into coverage and rush the passer. He’s a poor man’s Clay Matthews. J.J. Watt, to me, is the best 5-technique end in the draft and is powerful enough to hold up the run opposite Mario Williams. I admire the Texans for taking CB Brandon Harris, whom I like and can help with their biggest issue.

Welcome to the later rounds of the NFL Draft. The players that you might have heard of have long since been taken. For some of you, that might have happened an hour into the broadcast Thursday night. But that doesn’t mean that we can’t keep things interesting.

You know those games you used to play in the dorm or fraternity, watching TV with an adequate supply of your favorite beverage? Maybe if you were watching the old “Bob Newhart Show,” you had to take action any time someone said “Bob.” You get the idea. So here it is, my late-round draft game to enhance your viewing experience. When a team reaches for a player, you should be reaching for something.

So take the appropriate action every time one of the following happens:

Somebody says that a player is “a poor’s man’s (insert this player).”

A player is said to have “upside.”

A player has a “great motor.”

Each time Mike Mayock “bangs the table.”

When “value” is mentioned.

If a player’s character issues are mentioned.

If a player you have heard of is picked.

And please, play responsibly.

The New York Jets Flight Crew appears on stage during the 2011 NFL Draft at Radio City Music Hall on April 30 in New York. (Ben Liebenberg/NFL)

Click on the photo to view more images from the 2011 NFL Draft.