Rick Gosselin

Lewisville

Writer, Talk of Fame Network at Sports Illustrated

NFL coverage vet of 50 years, 2004 Nunn Award winner, HOF voter, author of the football book, "Goodfellows: The Champions of St. Ambrose.” Spartan.

Articles

Podcast: Latest on NFL Draft, HOF Case for Plunkett

1 month ago | si.com | Rick Gosselin

The NFL Draft is closing in on us with every passing minute, and later this week, I head to West Palm Beach, Florida, for the NFL Owners meeting, but that doesn't change the fact that the Raider Nation never sleeps. Our latest episode of the Las Vegas Raiders Insider Podcast offers the latest on the Hall of Fame case of legendary QB Jim Plunkett with Rick Gosselin, who sits on the senior committee and NFL Draft news. Recently, new Raiders RB Raheem Mostert spoke at the team’s headquarters.
The All-Time Mid-American Conference NFL Team

1 month ago | rickgosselin.com | Rick Gosselin

The television networks may ignore the Mid-American Conference in the football season, favoring broadcasts of Big Ten, ACC, SEC and Big 12 games. But NFL teams would be wise not to ignore the MAC in the draft season. The MAC is populated with teams primarily from Michigan and Ohio. Although they don’t get the attention and publicity of Power 5 schools Michigan and Ohio State, the MAC schools have forged a rich NFL identity for themselves.
Blakeman Crew King of NFL Penalties

Jan 7, 2025 | rickgosselin.com | Rick Gosselin

Clete Blakeman has been an NFL referee for 14 seasons. Only Carl Cheffers has served in that capacity longer. Three times in his first 13 seasons Blakeman’s crew finished as the NFL runnerup in penalties. But there was no stopping this crew in 2024. Blakeman assessed a league-high 252 penalties for 2,128 yards. There are 17 NFL officiating crews and his was one of 10 to walk off 200 penalties this season — but the only crew to assess 2,000 yards.
Draft Review: Joe Staley

Sep 27, 2024 | rickgosselin.com | Rick Gosselin

GOSSELIN DRAFT ANALYSIS: Staley began his career as a skill player, catching 24 passes with seven touchdowns in high school at Rockford, Mich. He also set a school record in the 200-meter dash and participated in the relays. Staley then spent his true freshman season at Central Michigan in 2003 as a backup tight end, catching 11 passes with one touchdown. But he gained 40 pounds and moved to offensive tackle as a sophomore in 2004 where became a three-year starter.
Draft Review: Earl Thomas

Sep 25, 2024 | rickgosselin.com | Rick Gosselin

GOSSELIN DRAFT ANALYSIS: Thomas did it all for West Orange High School in Orange, Texas. He was a three-year starter at defensive back, running back and wide receiver on a team that went 24-2 over his last two years. He made 112 career tackles with 11 interceptions on defense and returned two punts and two kickoffs for touchdowns. Thomas also collected 2,140 career receiving yards and 1,850 career rushing yards. And by the way, he was a .300 hitting outfielder for the school’s baseball team.
Draft Review: Marshal Yanda

Sep 24, 2024 | rickgosselin.com | Rick Gosselin

GOSSELIN DRAFT ANALYSIS: Yanda got off to a slow start to his career, playing his first two college seasons at North Iowa Area Community College before transferring to the University of Iowa. In his two seasons in the Big Ten, he started four games at left guard, 16 games at right tackle and five more at left tackle. He served as a captain as a senior in 2006 when he was voted the team’s offensive MVP and second-team All-Big Ten.
Draft Review: Terrell Suggs

Sep 23, 2024 | rickgosselin.com | Rick Gosselin

GOSSELIN DRAFT ANALYSIS: There was no doubting Suggs’ athletic ability coming out of high school. Although born in Minneapolis, he played his high-school football in suburban Phoenix where he earned Parade All-America honors as a running back. He led the state with 2,274 yards rushing and 26 touchdowns as a senior. Suggs also set a state record with 367 rushing yards in a single game.
Yellow flags and the Kansas City Chiefs

Sep 4, 2024 | rickgosselin.com | Rick Gosselin

There are 17 referees in the NFL. The two-time defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs have never lost in games officiated by almost half of them. Eight of the referees heading up crews in 2024 have yet to walk off the field in games with the Chiefs on the losing end of the score.
Is Ezekiel Elliott at the Wall?

Aug 28, 2024 | rickgosselin.com | Rick Gosselin

The Dallas Cowboys kept Ezekiel Elliott in bubble wrap this summer. For good reason. With their 2023 starter Tony Pollard departing for the Tennessee Titans in free agency in the offseason, taking his team-leading 1,002 rushing yards and six touchdowns with him, the Cowboys were left perilously thin at running back. That’s why they re-signed Elliott after cutting him a year earlier and now penciling him in at the top of their 2024 depth chart.
State Your Case: Jack Vainisi

Jun 10, 2024 | rickgosselin.com | Rick Gosselin

In the salary-cap era, the most important person in the building is the guy who finds the players. In today’s NFL, you can’t pay everyone so you can’t keep everyone. The salary cap forces an annual roster churn with younger, cheaper players replacing older, expensive players. The NFL draft serves as that turnstile. The drafters, the builders, over the years have earned their rightful place in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.