As we did last year, Mike Wilkening and I will be on high-draft-pick duty, talking to 30 first-, second- and third-round picks (and one fifth-rounder, John David Booty) this weekend for a strange, unique event -- the NFL's Rookie Premier weekend.

What is it? Hard to say exactly, but we are attending two events. The first is a Madden 08 tournament that's going on in Santa Monica, where the players are staying. Last year it was eight guys playing head to head in tournament style, sponsored by EA Sports (the Titans' Paul Williams won last year, unofficially making it the last time he has been heard or seen from). And then on Saturday, the players will be photographed in their new teams' uniforms for their Topps football cards. It's high comedy, really; last year, the clear and obvious highligh was watching Browns OT Joe Thomas flop onto mats at the L.A. Coliseum as overexcited photogs took his picture. How often do linemen get to bellyflop like that? Thomas said it had been since high school, when he played a little fullback.

So here is the list of players attending (in bold are the guys I'll for sure be talking to): 

Rams WR Donnie Avery
Bears WR Earl Bennett
Vikings QB John David Booty
Packers QB Brian Brohm
Bengals WR Andre Caldwell
Chiefs RB Jamaal Charles
Chiefs DT Glenn Dorsey
Cardinals WR Early Doucet
Falcons WR Harry Douglas
Ravens QB Joe Flacco
Bears RB Matt Forté
Bills WR James Hardy
Dolphins QB Chad Henne
Eagles WR DeSean Jackson
Buccaneers WR Dexter Jackson
Titans RB Chris Johnson
Cowboys RB Felix Jones
Jets TE Dustin Keller
Redskins WR Malcolm Kelly
Rams DE Chris Long
Dolphins OT Jake Long
Giants WR Mario Manningham
Raiders RB Darren McFadden
Steelers RB Rashard Mendenhall
Packers WR Jordy Nelson
Patriots QB Kevin O'Connell
Ravens RB Ray Rice
Falcons QB Matt Ryan
Bengals WR Jerome Simpson
Texans RB Steve Slaton
Lions RB Kevin Smith
Panthers RB Jonathan Stewart
Steelers WR Limas Sweed
Redskins WR Devin Thomas

If you're wondering why I plan, say, on talking to Booty or Keller and not McFadden, Wilky and I kinda of carved up the list and decided who would go after who, interview-wise, so don't worry -- we'll try to give you blanket coverage as much as we can. Specifically, though, I will be working on Matt Ryan and Jake Long features, so I'll have a lot from those guys.

It'll be interesting to see if Mr. Hardy shows up following his handgun incident this week. Sounds like he's mostly out of the woods, though who knows? 

We'll blog live from L.A. this weekend to paint the picture and give you any pertinent info to pass along.