Rob Rang, senior draft analyst for NFLDraftScout.com, praised the performance of North Carolina defensive end Quinton Coples so far through the first two days of Senior Bowl practices.

Rang had Coples going to Seattle in his first mock drafts this year, but now has the North Carolina product headed to Buffalo at No. 10.

Rang: “Measuring in at nearly 6-6 and 281 pounds, Coples has the size, strength and athleticism to be a force regardless of scheme. Rated as the No. 1 defensive end prospect and 12th overall by NFLDraftScout.com, Coples is the highest-rated Senior Bowl participant. He hasn’t disappointed, terrorizing the South team’s quarterbacks and running backs by consistently penetrating the line of scrimmage to blow up plays before they’ve even begun.

“He’s been impressive,” one high-ranking team official thought likely to be considering a defensive lineman with their first round pick said Tuesday, on the condition of anonymity. “He played really well on Monday and followed that up with another strong effort today.”

Matt Bowen of the National Football Post also had high praise for Coples, saying he looks like a legitimate edge rusher.

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The Seattle Seahawks announced this afternoon that running back Marshawn Lynch was added to the NFL Pro Bowl roster, the fifth player headed to Hawaii for the Seahawks this year. Lynch replaces San Francisco running back Frank Gore, who will not play in the game because of an illness.

Lynch set career highs in rushing yards (1,204), carries (285) and rushing touchdowns (12) this season. Lyncb also set a franchise record with at least one touchdown in 11-straight games, breaking Shaun Alexander’s 2005 record of nine. Lynch became Seattle’s first 1,000-yard rusher since Alexander set a club record in

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The Seattle Seahawks announced that cornerback Brandon Browner and safety Kam Chancellor, both first alternates, have been added to the NFC Pro Bowl roster.

Browner will replace San Francisco cornerback Carlos Rogers, Chancellor will replace San Francisco safety Dashon Goldson. Both San Francisco players will not participate due to injury.

Browner started all 16 games for Seattle, finishing with a team-high six interceptions and 54 tackles. Browner set a club single-season record for interception return yards in a season with 220 (Dave Brown, 179 in 1984). He also became the first Seattle player since Josh Wilson in 2009 to return

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We were blessed with two very entertaining contests on Sunday in the AFC and NFC championship games. And with all the talk about elite quarterbacks going against talented defenses, it’s interesting that both contests came down to that important third phase of football – special teams.

Baltimore kicker Bill Cundiff missed a chip shot 32-yard field goal that would have tied the game at the end of regulation, allowing New England to sneak past the Ravens, 23-20.

And San Francisco returner Kyle Williams, playing in place of an injured Ted Ginn, fumbled twice in the New York Giants 20-17 overtime win over the Niners.

So NBC executives get the game they wanted, a rematch of the Super Bowl four years ago with the Patriots looking for revenge against the Giants, and hopefully fans get another competitive football game.

John Czarnecki of Fox Sports gives us an early breakdown of the matchup here.

Bill Barnwell of Grantland.com provides some in-depth analysis beyond the typical scapegoats for San Francisco and Baltimore staying home for the Super Bowl.

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Los Angeles Times columnist Bill Plaschke writes that today’s NFC and AFC championship games serve as the real championship Sunday, providing more intensity and drama than the Super Bowl in two weeks because of the desperation of the four teams scratching and clawing to get into the big game.

I’d agree with that. I attended Seattle’s NFC championship win over Carolina during the team’s 2005 Super Bowl run, and I remember seeing grown men crying and hugging each other as the confetti came down during the celebration after the game was over. I think there’s probably more raw emotion in championship games, versus the celebratory feeling most fans have with their teams making it to the Super Bowl.

Enjoy the games today.

Plaschke: “Sunday is the greatest single day of the NFL season. Sunday is the real Super Bowl, only twice as much and twice as good.

The two conference championship games played Sunday will be more compelling than the one game played two weeks later, and it won’t even be close.

Sunday is the Super Bowl minus the capital letters, Roman numerals and incessant glitz. Sunday is real football, played in real weather, in front of real fans, for real stakes.”

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Our annual preview of this year’s NFL draft begins today with the half-hour video above produced by TNT media guru Joe Barrentine.

In the video Rob Rang, senior draft analyst for NFLDraftScout.com and myself discuss some of the top draft prospects among this year’s group that we believe the Seattle Seahawks might have their eye on as they prepare for April’s draft.

That group includes quarterbacks like Baylor’s Robert Griffin III, Texas A&M’s Ryan Tannehill and Ryan Lindley of San Diego State, along with a group of talented pass rushers like North Carolina’s Quinton Coples, Alabama’s Courtney Upshaw and Nick Perry of USC.

So check out the video. And below you can find a breakout of each player, which includes a link to highlights of each player, along with a quick comment from Rang.

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Seattle Seahawks fullback Michael Robinson became the second Seattle player headed to Hawaii this month.

Robinson was added to the Pro Bowl NFC roster, replacing Green Bay fullback John Kuhn, who pulled out because of an injury. Robinson was a first alternate, and will be making his first appearance in the Pro Bowl, joining safety Earl Thomas.

Robinson’s bruising blocks helped teammate Marshawn Lynch rush for a career-high 1,204 yards and 12 touchdowns, becoming the first Seahawks to eclipse 1,000 yards since Shaun Alexander in 2005.

ESPN’s Mike Sando writes that Thomas and Robinson could have company if San Francisco makes the Super Bowl, with Marshawn Lynch, Brandon Browner and Kam Chancellor likely being added as replacements.

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There’s been a lot of talk about the record passing numbers this season.

New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees broke Dan Marino’s single-season passing yardage record with 5,476 passing yards in the regular season.

Ten quarterbacks threw for over 4,000 passing yards in 2011, considered one of the barometers of a successful season passing the football.

But as Len Pasquarelli of the Sports Xchange noted this week, winning the turnover differential had more to do with who moved on in this year’s playoffs than having an elite quarterback.

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