I love the draft more than I love many other events in the NFL. Its a ton of fun to read all the speculation and predict where the players are going to land. Its also an important day for the card companies, because it can make or break a player’s popularity depending on what team they end up with. Geno Smith goes to Buffalo? Black hole. Geno Smith goes to Minnesota or New York? Jackpot.

There has been a ton of prospecting going down over the last few days and I have a bit of my own to go over.

Tavon Austin

You could call him Diet Harvin, but I think he might be a similar player with a similarly dangerous skill set for opposing defenses. He is a bit faster and a bit smaller, and also runs nice routes. His name and the buzz surrounding his cards has tripled since the combine, even to the point where he went from a potential first rounder to a potential top 10 pick. His cards have steadily climbed as his stock has gotten more coveted, and they are reaching their boiling point now.

2013 Upper Deck Tavon Austin Auto RC SSP

2013 Upper Deck Tavon Austin Auto Letter

2013 Leaf Metal Tavon Austin Blue Refractor Auto

Ryan Nassib

Coming into the draft, Geno Smith was queen of the pigs in terms of this lackluster QB class. Nassib flew under the radar until a few teams allegedly fell in love with his intelligence and skills. Nassib could be the first QB off the board which is crazy, considering he was a projected 3rd rounder before the combine. Syracuse has produced Donovan McNabb, but they arent necessarily the powerhouse in football as they are in basketball. His cards have spiked, and I expect that to continue as he is selected.

2013 Upper Deck Ryan Nassib Auto RC

2013 Leaf Metal Ryan Nassib Auto BGS 10

Marcus Lattimore

I cant even watch the video of his injury, because it was that gruesome. However, he is still trying to make a run at an NFL career, and for the most part succeeding. A lot of teams think his intangibles make him worth the risk, and collectors have been catching on. This guy was widely speculated to be the top RB off the board before his knee got blown up, and the drive may make it possible down the road for him to be a contributor.

2013 Upper Deck Marcus Lattimore Auto SSP

2013 Leaf Valiant Marcus Lattimore Gold Auto /10

Manti Te’o

There was no bigger story in college football this year than the girlfriend situation and Te’o’s involvement. I am not high on Te’o, as it looks like he is lacking skills to be a top NFL linebacker. However, he is still projected to be a first rounder, which means the collectors who like him are still paying first round money for him. The fame will add to the allure of picking up his cards, as being infamous is better than being unknown in many situations. The Vikings have taken an interest in him as well, which means that the pack of Vikings collectors roaming eBay will buy in anticipation. That drives up price too.

2013 Leaf Valiant Manti Te’o Auto

2013 Upper Deck Manti Te’o Auto

Monte Ball

Of all the running backs in the draft, I liked Ball the best. That’s not saying a lot, because every NFL team is moving to a 2 back system, and there isnt someone with Trent Richardson’s talent this year. If I am going to buy, I think Ball is the guy, as his cards are cheap enough that there can be some money made if he breaks out like Doug Martin.

2013 Upper Deck Montee Ball Auto

Ill likely be live tweeting the draft via @SCUncensored, so please come chat with me tomorrow night when this goes down for real. Im excited with my team having two picks to play with, and I think this is going to be a pretty wild ride.