DAY 3 OF 36: THREE UP-AND-COMERS

With the official kickoff of the 2013 NFL Regular Season only five weeks away, I thought I would take the time to bring you 36 days of football trivia, knowledge and in-depth story-telling to build some excitement for the season. Day three includes three young stars in the National Football League, or as I like to call them three up-and-comers!

Up and Comer No. 1 – Greg Hardy – Defensive End – Carolina Panthers

Normally you don’t see sixth-round draft picks making that much of an impact in a professional football game on Sundays. Besides Tom Brady, these players are usually your run of the mill type of guy, resorting to special teams play and occasionally a substitute.

However, Greg Hardy is not your typical sixth-round pick.

Hardy may make his impact felt on special teams – he’s a gunner on punt team coverage despite starting at defensive end for the Panthers – yet his main contributions come in pass rush situations. At six-foot-four and 290 pounds, you wouldn’t think of Hardy running down speedy kick returners. Nor would you assume this mammoth of a man have the speed and explosiveness that he does.

Hardy originally fell in the draft because he elected to return for one final season at Ole Miss. A broken bone in his right foot kept Hardy from reaching his lofty expectations in his senior season, but the Panthers still took a chance on him.

In 2012, Hardy had his best season as a pro and the sky is the ceiling for this young man. Last year, he racked up 11 sacks in just 15 games and he played the majority of those games with a cast on his left hand. He also amassed 41 total tackles in his third year after earning 38 in his sophomore campaign.

Called “The Kraken” by his teammates, Hardy has earned respect around the league. That’s why you should keep an eye on him this year.

Note - Dan Hanzus of NFL.com and Around the League also took note of Hardy's exceptional talent and breakout ability: http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap1000000218144/article/making-the-leap-no-16-panthers-de-greg-hardy

 Up and Comer No. 2 – Bruce Carter – Middle Linebacker – Dallas Cowboys

Considered one of the top 2011 NFL Draft prospects, Bruce Carter hasn't lived up to that hype in his first two seasons in Big-D. Coming into year three though, he is slated to start at weakside linebacker in Lane Kiffin's new 4-3 defense. Over the past two seasons, Carter has earned valuable time on the field, playing in a total of 21 games in two years and registering 78 combined tackles (70 alone last year).

Carter is a hard-hitter with run-stuffing ability, but he’s also very good in coverage. Against the Atlanta Falcons last year, Carter was up against one of the best tight ends in the business in Tony Gonzalez and he held his own. As a replacement for the injured Sean Lee, Carter showcased his solid speed – he chased Julio Jones down in a foot race, although Jones wasn’t at top speed – and with a little more experience and another year under his belt this young man could become one of the best in the game if he keeps progressing.

Carter’s biggest weakness seems to be shedding blockers. At 6-foot-2 and 246 pounds, he has the size to play effectively between the tackles, yet has struggled in the past to shed blockers when they get into his chest.

His upside still seems impossibly high, as the other teams in the NFC East found out last year, Carter couble be a star in the making.

Finally, it’s nearly impossible to run around him - maybe that explains the move to weakside linebacker - and if he can keep away from lineman at the second level, he should be fun to watch over the next couple of years.

Note- Just one day after I posted this, NFL.com Around the League writer Gregg Rosenthal chose Carter as his number two player to "make the leap" in 2013. He says, "Carter arguably was the fastest inside linebacker in the NFL last year. And he won't be playing on the inside any longer. Heading into his third season, Carter will be showcased as the weakside linebacker in new defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin's 4-3 scheme. That was Derrick Brooks' old position. It's Lance Briggs' position. Carter and Cowboys middle linebacker Sean Lee could be this generation's answer to Briggs and Brian Urlacher."

He continued, "Carter has sprinter-like long speed, but he also shows impressive quickness to get around defenders. He didn't "guess" wrong too often and often beat offensive linemen and fullbacks with his anticipation."

"Carter ranks No. 2 on our list because he showed the full package last year in 11 games before dislocating his elbow," Rosenthal concluded. "His physical attributes leaped off the screen. He was solid in run defense and a sure tackler. He stood out as a pass defender... Carter did an excellent job in zone and man coverage, slowing down players as varied as Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Doug Martin and Atlanta Falcons tight end Tony Gonzalez."

See the full report here: http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap1000000226075/comments/making-the-leap-no-2-cowboys-lb-bruce-carter

Up and Comer No. 3 – Markus Wheaton – Wide Receiver – Pittsburgh Steelers

With the departure of Mike Wallace to the Miami Dolphins this past offseason, look for the Pittsburgh Steelers to rely on young talent to carry the receiving corp. this year. Markus Wheaton is one of those young playmakers with a tremendous upside.

A third-round selection this past draft by the Steelers, Wheaton was sensational as a senior at Oregon State. As a Beaver, he earned All-Pacific-12 Conference honors in his final year in the orange and black and in his collegiate career he recorded 227 receptions for 2,994 yards and 16 total touchdowns. He also competed for the track team, specializing in the 60-, 100- and 200-meter races.

In the NFL Combine, he ran a 4.4 forty-yard dash and collected a 37-inch vertical jump. This year we will see if Wheaton’s raw skills can transfer to the pro game. You already know where my bet is.

Also keep an eye on:

-          Saalim Hakim, wide receiver for the New Orleans Saints. His speed could be deadly in the coming months with Drew Brees throwing him the football.

-     Adrian Tracy, defensive end for the New York Giants. Known for their dominant pass rushers, fans of the Giants may not see a lot of Tracy over the next season, but the young man has serious talent. If you don’t believe me, then check out this video: