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Has former Lobo star Brian Urlacher slipped that much?

The Sporting News released its annual list of the top 100 NFL players earlier today. Urlacher, the Bears' linebacker, came in at No. 61. Not bad. But he's considered the eighth best linebacker in the league according to the rankings. These aren't cobbled together by one writer, by the way. The Sporting News gathers the opinion of 106 experts to determine the top 100. Those experts include 27 Hall of Famers and past and present Pro Bowlers, executives and coaches.

Urlacher, who went to Lovington High, is the third best defensive player on his own team, if you go by the list.  Vikings QB Brett Favre is considered more valuable than Urlacher.

On the other end of that spectrum is Alan Branch, the former Cibola standout.

Branch had a growing reputation as an NFL bust after he hardly played last season, but he seems to be getting better -- at least in the eyes of the Arizona Cardinals coaches.

Branch, a tackle, showed he could play defensive end too in Arizona's last preseason game against Denver. He convinced coaches he could play a reserve role at both positions.

"We talked about the fourth game having an impact on decisions," Whisenhunt told the Arizona Republic. "That's a point right there. He gives us a little more flexibility."

For the Oklahoma football team, Week 1 couldn't have gone much worse.

Reigning Heisman Trophy winner Sam Bradford was injured and the then-third ranked Sooners lost to BYU, 14-13.

In the midst of all those problems, OU backup QB and former Artesia star Landry Jones impressed is coaches. Sooners offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson had this to say to the Tulsa World newspaper. ...

"Landry (Jones) was the only guy in the locker room that was talking. He was picking us up. He had a look in his eye."

Jones, a redshirt freshman, could have three more weeks to play while Bradford heals. That gives him one warm up game against Idaho State on Saturday before the Sooners face Tulsa then go to Miami.

Speaking of Tulsa ...

After getting crushed by Texas A&M last week the New Mexico football team will face the Golden Hurricane and their potent offense on Saturday. Lobos coach Mike Locksley is keeping a positive attitude, according to his Facebook page.

Locksley posted this yesterday.

"Excited about playing in The Den. When renovating, not real pretty initially. But you do get closer to your vision. We will get there."

ESPN.com college football writer Pat Forde opined on the opening weekend of the college football season in a column today. Among other elements, he graded coaching debuts. Forde wrote this about UNM and NMSU coaches. ...

"D-plus -- The Land of Disenchantment (34). Mike Locksley's New Mexico Lobos and DeWayne Walker's New Mexico State Aggies went 0-2 against Texas A&M and Idaho, respectively, combining to score 12 points. Nobody said it was going to be easy at either locale."

PHOTO OF THE WEEK

Dodgers slugger Manny Ramirez argues with homeplate umpire (and New Mexican) Doug Eddings after Eddings ejected Ramirez this week. (Getty Images/LA Times)

I'll end this week's edition with a couple quick NFL notes ...

Former Lobos receiver Marcus Smith had knee surgery this week to repair a torn ACL he suffered in training camp, according to the Baltimore Sun.

Some other players with NM ties also were cut (bad joke, I know).

• DeAndre Wright (Giants, later signed to practice squad)
• Richard Angulo (Jaguars)
• Courtney Bryan (Dolphins)
• Rodney Ferguson (Titans, later signed to practice squad)
• Devin Clark (Redskins)