THE WATERCOOLER

QUESTION: Missouri wide receiver Jeremy Maclin reportedly is moving quickly up many draft boards. Maclin plans to run this weekend at the NFL Combine. He’ll likely work out before scouts at a pro day at Mizzou. Given his rising stock, where do you see Maclin being selected in the NFL draft?

JIM THOMAS
Maclin is widely considered the second-best wide receiver in the draft behind Michael Crabtree of Texas Tech. It now looks like he will be taken in the top 10. There’s no substitute for speed. Al Davis has believed this for decades. That’s why Maclin will go to Oakland with the No. 7 overall pick. Just throw deep, baby.

BILL COATS
Maclin is a two-headed monster: an accomplished wide receiver as well as a dangerous return man. The Rams could use both, but probably will use the No. 2 overall pick to address more pressing needs. So, my guess is that the Raiders, who also need a wideout and a returner, grab Maclin with the seventh pick in the first round.

KATHLEEN NELSON
The Jets could use a QB and a fast receiver. QBs like Mark Sanchez and Matt Stafford should be long gone by the time the Jets pick. That leaves Maclin to the Jets at No. 17.

STU DURANDO
The consensus seems to be Oakland at No. 7 and that makes sense considering the Raiders’ lack of receivers. Now, if they can move up to get Michael Crabtree or if Crabtree miraculously falls that far, Maclin will drop, maybe to the Jets at No. 17. And because I cover Illinois football, I’ll add that cornerback Vontae Davis is also a projected first-rounder and could climb as high as Green Bay at No. 9.

TOM TIMMERMANN
Maclin is not going to be taken ahead of Michael Crabtree. And the teams that are willing to take receivers in the first round is limited. Still, there are the Oakland Raiders sitting there with the No. 7 pick, and the Raiders love to take guys who can go deep. Of course, who knows what the Raiders will do? So look for him there. If not, he may drop a bit.

JEFF GORDON
With Michael Crabtree losing stock value, Maclin could easily become a Top Ten pick in this draft. The Packers need help at receiver and Pro Football Talk’s mock draft has North Carolina receiver Hakeem Nicks going to Green Bay at No. 9. That seems like a reach, based on earlier assessments of Nicks. Maclin has to be a better pick there, right? Right?

KEVIN WHEELER (Host of “Sports Open Line” on KMOX)
How about the No. 7 pick to the Oakland Raiders? Al Davis loves game breakers, loves the deep ball, and needs someone who can bring that element to his team in ’09. The top two receivers on the Raiders’ depth chart right now, according to their own Web site, are Javon Walker (15 catches for 196 yards in ’08) and Ronald Curry (19 catches and 189 yards in ’08).

Even if they sign a big name free agent, Maclin still makes sense as a game changer who can stretch the field and also make the Raiders return game more dynamic. JaMarcus Russell needs receivers and Maclin will be the best on the board after the Seahawks take Michael Crabtree with the 4th pick. Maclin’s speed and explosiveness just scream, “Draft me, Mr. Davis!”

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MIDDAY NEWS AND THOUGHTS

I AM TIGER WOODS: “I’m now ready to play again.” And with those six words from Tiger Woods, golf tournament organizers and their sponsors began cheering from the mountaintops. Woods made the announcement yesterday that he will play in next week’s WGC-Accenture Match Play. The return of Woods will get the cash flowing at tournaments and for television advertising … geez, I’m thinking this one man might just save the whole economy from pending doom. Perhaps the late-Earl Woods was right when he predicted his son would do more than change golf, but that he would change the world.

Bill Dwyre of the Los Angeles Times apparently seems to agree. The headline on his column today reads, “Tiger Woods’ comeback is bigger than the game.”

IT’S NOT OVER YET: It looks like the Alex Rodriguez steroids saga is not over, and it may just be beginning. According to a report in today’s New York Daily News, A-Rod has had a longstanding relationship with a steroid-linked trainer. The Daily News says that Angel Presinal was banned from private areas of every MLB ballpark after an October 2001 incident involving an unmarked gym bag full of steroids, but that he has been close to A-Rod dating back to his time with the Rangers. A-Rod has said he only used from 2001-03, but a source tells the Daily News that “Presinal accompanied A-Rod for the entire 2007 season, staying in the same hotel as the A.L. MVP, but in a separate room with the “cousin” Rodriguez pegged three days ago as his steroid source from 2001-03.”

So do you believe A-Rod when he says he only used steroids from 2001-03? Stay tuned. It ain’t over ’til it’s over.

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THINGS TO PONDER

THE WALTZ OF WALT: I was glad to see Keith Tkachuk get the game-winner in overtime last night. And he did it in his traditional style … planted in front of the net. “Big Walt” just doesn’t seem to get the respect he deserves in this town. It seems so many folks mention him first when discussing the trade deadline. Tkachuk has 18 goals and 17 assists this season for a total of 35 points. That’s good enough for a three-way tie as the team’s second-leader scorer (Patrik Berglund and David Perron also have 35 points), with only Brad Boyes’ 50 points coming in higher.

I’m not sure why fans in St. Louis wouldn’t want Tkachuk to stick around for another season or two — his veteran presence in the locker room has to help all the Baby Blues. And it’s not like he’s not putting up any numbers. Unless they can get a first-round pick for Tkachuk — which I don’t think the Blues can right now — I hope to see him back on the ice for the club next season.

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ON THIS DATE

FEB 20, 1953 — Anheuser-Busch buys all but seven shares of St. Louis Cardinals stock from recently imprisoned owner Fred Saigh and installs August A. Busch Jr. as club president. (Source: “This Day in Baseball”)