Sporting News' NFL draft expert says Bulaga's draft-status didn't improve this season

Those hoping Iowa offensive tackle Bryan Bulaga might consider staying out of the 2010 NFL draft -- you won't get grist for that mill here.

Bulaga, according to Sporting News Today draft Russ Lande, is projected as a first-round pick. Juniors who are expected to go in the first round generally take off, unless they're Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford. And you saw how that worked out for him.

But, Lande writes here, Bulaga hasn't lived up to forecasts of becoming a Top 10 pick.

Bulaga still displays "elite athleticism," Lande says, but hasn't improved in strength or aggressiveness as a pass-blocker, "allowing powerful rushers to push him around."

The thyroid condition Bulaga battled for several weeks this season couldn't have helped. He'll have had several weeks to get healthier and stronger by the time the Jan. 4 Orange Bowl rolls around, so he's got an adequate opportunity to state a different case than the one Lande has laid out.

The draft is four whole months away, anyway. Here's a recent On Iowa blog post by Gazetteonline's Marc Morehouse detailing "the NFL thing" involving Hawkeyes juniors Bulaga, Amari Spievey and Adrian Clayborn.

I was alerted to this item by a reader. If any of you come across material you think is interesting and largely unreported, fire it my way at mike.hlas@gazcomm.com. I always appreciate it.