Rise of the Big Red Roundtable - Spring Football Edition

Our friends at Husker Hype have breathed new life into the ole Big Red Blogger Roundtable (pictured).

In this edition we predict winners of the competition for starting quarterback and running back and a quick look at Huskers in the NFL draft.

Who do you think will come out of Spring Practice as the Offensive and Defensive MVP?

Steve Hanway: The Offensive MVP would be Cody Green. You might choose a running back, but you'd think they're not going to give Helu 20 carries or even Burkhead for that matter. You'd love to see what Dontrayevous Robinson will do, but Green's sure to get a good number of snaps and they might turn him loose in the option game. You'd expect the ball to be shared around, which is why I wouldn't choose a receiver.

The Defensive MVP will be Prince Amukamara. Crick would seem an obvious choice but without Suh next to him (or you'd guess even Suh's replacement, given how these Red-White teams are selected) he could be a force without standing out as a playmaker. Amukamara was a close second in solo tackles to Crick among returning players but also makes plays in other ways (interceptions, breakups, sacks, fumbles forced and recovered).

Nebraska appears to be switching to a spread-option style offense. How do you think this will effect quarterback and running back rotation and play?

Steve Hanway: In the fall the starter will play until the game is not in doubt. You'll continue to see at least 2-3 running backs in every game. The option switch would improve the likelihood that someone other than Zac Lee could start, but these contests generally go to the incumbent.

Who do you think the starting QB will be coming out of Spring Practice and do you feel that his spot is safe until Western Kentucky week?

Steve Hanway: With Lee not participating, anyone named as a starter post-spring will only be the starter until practices begin in August. So the best quarterback this spring will not be safe. Lee may not be a fan favorite, but it's still likely his job to lose, no matter what happens this spring.

Who will be the #1 Running Back coming out of Spring Practice? Some have questioned Roy Helu, Jr.'s durability and Rex Burkhead busted out on the scene showing he can do impressive amounts of damage himself.

Steve Hanway: A similar answer here. They may give Helu a lighter workload (particularly in scrimmages), but he's still the best back on the roster unless the injuries are more persistent than we've heard.

Which defensive unit will look best coming out of spring ball and why?

Steve Hanway: It may not be evident in the box scores, because your secondary is so dependent on the front seven to get some pressure, but the almost gaudy depth in the secondary is clearly the strength of the defense. The linebackers could impress, but there are too many good defensive backs not to pick the secondary.

Ndamukong Suh, Phil Dillard and Larry Asante all are likely to be chosen during the draft. Does Matt O'Hanlon get picked up in one of the later rounds, go undrafted and sign as a free agent or another route not mentioned?

Steve Hanway: Undrafted free agency seems likeliest for O'Hanlon. It could go like it did for Joe Ganz where he essentially gets only a matter of weeks or months to make an impression, but it seems unlikely that a team would need to spend a draft pick to get him.

Now for the obvious question on everyone's mind: What does St. Louis do with the #1 pick?

Steve Hanway: I'll say Bradford. Unfortunately, the economics of the NFL (even in an uncapped year) make teams inclined to reach on quarterbacks even with other players that are better at other positions available. Now if some of those rumors come true about a quarterback trade, you'd say it will be Suh or McCoy (in that order). But where we stand today, Bradford seems like the guy.

Around the Horn

Read responses from other round table members: Corn Nation | Husker Hype | Double Extra Point

Our fancy round table is open to all. Leave your responses in the comments below and grab a party favor on your way out.