It's common knowledge that winning the Heisman Trophy, first awarded in 1935, is a gift and a curse for college football players.

It's a gift because you're acknowledged as the best at what you do. And it's a curse because most Heisman winners bomb in the NFL. Kind of like if Jennifer Lopez starred in a film that won at Cannes before starring in "big budget" films.

New St. Louis Ram Sam Bradford is a member of that fraternity. The winner of the 2008 Heisman, Bradford Thursday night became the 17th Heisman winner to be tapped at No. 1 in the NFL Draft and the seventh quarterback.

Bradford seems like a good guy. But if history is any indication, Bradford's career could resemble that of Macauley Culkin's.

Of the 75 Heisman winners, 17 have been chosen No. 1 in the NFL Draft. Of those 17, only three are in the Pro Football Hall of Fame - Earl Campbell, Paul Hornung and O.J. Simpson.

Seven of those 17 are quarterbacks. Hornung is the only one of those gunslingers to have been enshrined in Canton, Ohio. It remains to be seen if Cincinnati quarterback Carson Palmer - No. 1 in 2003 and still active - will have a Hall of Fame career.

Of the 75 total Heisman winners, only eight had Hall of Fame careers - Doak Walker, Hornung, Roger Staubach, Simpson, Tony Dorsett, Campbell, Marcus Allen and Barry Sanders.

Who ever would have thought winning such a prestigious award would mean so little for long-term prospects?

Hopefully, for Bradford's sake, he's able to buck a trend.

It remains to be seen how serious the Pittsburgh Steelers are about dealing two-time Super Bowl winning quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.

His recent transgressions, in some people's eyes, have made him expendable. I don't know how smart that thinking is, but if a deal does go down and Roethlisberger is dealt, Pittsburgh would have to get a veteran signal caller in return because it isn't a team that looks to be in rebuild mode.

The Steelers' roster isn't one filled with young studs. It's a veteran-laden squad that is set on winning right now. Pittsburgh gave up a seventh-round pick in this weekend's draft for quarterback Byron Leftwich, earlier this month and signed him to a two-year deal. The move fills out the QB spot on the team's depth chart and puts Leftwich in competition with veteran back-up Charlie Batch and second-year QB Dennis Dixon. Leftwich is a stopgap and was brought into Pittsburgh for his second stint with the team because he knows the system.

I think there's a better option on the market, though. If I'm an exec with the Steelers, I'm putting in a call to recently-retired Kurt Warner. The retirement is still fresh, and I'm sure he still has the the itch to play. Warner is a proven quarterback, while Leftwich, well, isn't.

Roethlisberger is expected to serve a six-week suspension to start the season, meaning he would miss his teams first five games - if he's not traded. With Roethlisberger, I'd pick Pittsburgh to win four of those five (against Atlanta, Tennessee, Tampa Bay, Baltimore and Cleveland). Without him, and with Leftwich, they might win two of those.

Warner could win four of those five, as well, and serve as a more than serviceable placeholder until Roethlisberger returns. Based on his last two seasons in Arizona, where he took the team to a Super Bowl in one season and close to it in another, it's obvious Warner still has more than a little left in his tank.

Warner may say no, but Pittsburgh brass owes it to themselves and to their fanbase to put the team in the best position to win until Roethlisberger returns...if Roethlisberger isn't traded. If he is dealt, Pittsburgh would be wise to ask for, along with draft picks, another team's starting quarterback.

First three picks pretty much set in stone. After that, look for a number of trades to take place.

1. St. Louis-Sam Bradford, QB Oklahoma
2. Detroit-Ndamukong Suh, DT Nebraska
3. Tampa Bay-Gerald McCoy, DT Oklahoma
4. Washington-Trent Williams, OT Oklahoma*
5. Kansas City-Eric Berry, S Tennessee*
6. Seattle-Russell Okung, OT Oklahoma State
7. Cleveland-Dan Williams, DT Tennessee*
8. Oakland-Derrick Morgan, DE Georgia Tech
9. Buffalo-Jimmy Clausen, QB Notre Dame*
10. Jacksonville-Jason Pierre Paul, DE South Florida*
11. Denver-Rolando McClain, LB Alabama*
12. Miami-Carlos Dunlap, DE Florida
13. San Francisco-Sergio Kindle, LB Texas
14. Seattle-C.J. Spiller, RB Clemson
15. New York Giants-Earl Thomas, S Texas*
16. Tennessee-Dez Bryant-Oklahoma State
17. San Francisco-Bryan Bulaga, OT Iowa*
18. Pittsburgh-Maurkice Pouncey, C Florida*
19. Atlanta-Anthony Davis, OT Rutgers
20. Houston-Joe Haden, CB Florida
21. Cincinnati-Jermaine Gresham, TE Oklahoma
22. New England-Brandon Graham, LB Michigan*
23. Green Bay-Jerry Hughes, LB TCU
24. Philadelphia-Kareem Jackson, CB Alabama
25. Baltimore-Mike Iupati, OG Idaho
26. Arizona-Sean Witherspoon, LB Missouri
27. Dallas-Everson Griffen, DE USC
28. San Diego-Darryl Washington, LB TCU
29. New York Jets-Eric Norwood, LB South Carolina
30. Minnesota-Terrence Cody, DT Alabama*
31. Indianapolis-Jared Odrick, DT Penn State
32. New Orleans-Brandon Spikes, LB Florida

*Indicates strong potential for a trade

I remember the days when the NFL schedule makers would have pity on a team that had an awful season and give them a favorable slate for the upcoming season.

Those days are over, and nowhere is that more evident than in the Detroit Lions' 2010 schedule, released less than six hours ago.

The Lions in 2010 have eight match-ups with teams that made the 2009 postseason, one squad three seasons removed from winning a Super Bowl and another versus a team that has made the biggest off-season move so far.

I see improvement in the Lions, with the solid moves team officials have made and the development of the team's young players. They're still not a playoff team yet, though. But I think Detroit can triple its win total (two) from last season.

Lions 2010 Win Prediction

All times Eastern
Week 1: Sunday, Sept. 12, at Chicago, 1:00 PM-Win: Matt Stafford has more weapons than Jay Cutler

Week 2: Sunday, Sept. 19, Philadelphia, 1:00 PM-Win: The number of roster moves Philly has made so far this offseason will show in this early-season game.

Week 3: Sunday, Sept. 26, at Minnesota, 1:00 PM-Loss: The Lions have as much of a chance in winning this game as Ben Roethlisberger does of being a keynote speaker at one of those "Take Back the Night" vigils.

Week 4: Sunday, Oct. 3, at Green Bay, 1:00 PM-Loss: Lions haven't won in Lambeau since the second season of "Fresh Prince of Bel Air."

Week 5: Sunday, Oct. 10, St. Louis, 1:00 PM -Win: The Lions will get to do what teams did to them last season - tee off on a rookie quarterback.

Week 6: Sunday, Oct. 17, at NY Giants, 1:00 PM-Loss: Giants won't want to disappoint fans in first season in a new stadium.

Week 7: BYE

Week 8: Sunday, Oct. 31, Washington, 1:00 PM-Loss: New Redskin Donovan McNabb will carve up the Lions' D.

Week 9: Sunday, Nov. 7, NY Jets, 1:00 PM-Loss: Jets will be one of the top teams in the league. They're my pick to win the Super Bowl.

Week 10: Sunday, Nov. 14, at Buffalo, 1:00 PM-Win: The only "gimme" on the schedule. Buffalo has a shot to go 0-16 this season.


Week 11: Sunday, Nov. 21, at Dallas, 1:00 PM-Loss: Cowboys will be playing for a division title.

Week 12: Thursday, Nov. 25, New England, 12:30 PM-Loss: Lions haven't won on Turkey Day since 2003.

Week 13: Sunday, Dec. 5, Chicago, 1:00 PM-Win: Bears will be the worst team in the NFC North this season.

Week 14: Sunday, Dec. 12, Green Bay, 1:00 PM-Loss: Packers will need this game for playoff positioning.

Week 15: Sunday, Dec. 19, at Tampa Bay, 1:00 PM-Win: Unless Derrick Brooks, Warren Sapp and Mike Alstott suit up, Lions should take this one.

Week 16: Sunday, Dec. 26, at Miami, 1:00 PM-Loss: Weird scheduling here, giving a team from the north back-to-back trips to Florida.

Week 17: Sunday, Jan. 2, Minnesota, 1:00 PM-Loss: The Lions have as much of a shot of winning this game as "The Back-Up Plan" does of making more money than "Avatar."

Lions' 2010 Record: 6-10