Chris M.
03/29/09, 11:05 AM
Has anyone else made one?
Here's mine:
1. Detroit Lions: Matt Stafford, QB Georgia
Though I do not necessarily agree with the Lions taking a QB first overall, it's what I think will happen. Let's just hope he doesn't become Joey Harrington v. 2.0.
2. St. Louis Rams: Jason Smith, OT Baylor
This pick is pretty much a toss-up between Smith and Virginia's Eugene Monroe. I think it'll end up being Smith because of his superior combine.
3. Kansas City Chiefs: Aaron Curry, ILB Wake Forest
This might be the biggest no-brainer pick of the draft. Kansas City needs another ILB to fit their new 3-4 scheme and Curry will fit that hole immediately.
4. Seattle Seahawks: Michael Crabtree, WR Texas Tech
I've gone back and forth on this pick for a while between Crabtree and Eugene Monroe, and I've finally settled on Crabtree. Though Seattle's offensive line is old, the team thinks they can win now, and Michael Crabtree gives them the best chance of doing so.
5. Cleveland Browns: Brian Orakpo, DE/OLB Texas
No player for the Browns had more than four sacks last year, and the defense as a whole had just 17. That is something that desperately needs to change.
6. Cincinnati Bengals: Eugene Monroe, OT Virginia
Cincinnati's offensive line was awful last year, and the team cannot afford to have Carson Palmer get beat up by opposing defenses so soon after coming off a major injury. Eugene Monroe is possibly the best OT in this year's draft and a perfect fit in Cincinnati.
7. Oakland Raiders: Aaron Maybin, DE/OLB Penn State
Is this pick a bit of a reach? Yes, but Al Davis loves fast 40 times and he may not be able to overlook the 4.59 Aaron Maybin ran on his Pro Day. With the top two offensive tackles already off the board, any pick Al makes at this juncture will seem like a bit of a reach.
8. Jacksonville Jaguars: B.J. Raji, DT Boston College
The Jags run defense struggled a bit last year after the departure of Marcus Stroud. The athletic B.J. Raji should be able to fill Jacksonville's hole a DT quite nicely.
9. Green Bay Packers: Tyson Jackson, DE LSU
With Green Bay switching to the 3-4 defense, the team needs someone to play DE opposite Aaron Kampman. Tyson Jackson and 295 pound frame would be the perfect guy to do so.
10. San Francisco 49ers: Mark Sanchez, QB USC
It's no secret that the 49ers need a QB, Shawn Hill is simply not the answer, though he will be a valuable piece to the team should Sanchez be drafted. Hill will allow Sanchez to spend some time as the back-up to learn the playbook instead of being thrust into the starter's role.
11. Buffalo Bills: Everette Brown, DE/OLB Florida State
For much of last season Buffalo had a tough time pressuring the QB, even when Aaron Schobel was in the line-up. The Bills would be foolish to pass up a player of Brown's caliber at this point in the draft.
12. Denver Broncos: Rey Maualuga, ILB USC
Tyson Jackson would likely be the best fit for the Broncos new 3-4 scheme in this draft, but since he's already off the board they'll be forced to go to Plan B, Rey Maualuga. Denver's linebacking corps was decimated by injuries last year, but even when they were all healthy, they weren't very good.
13. Washington Redskins: Andre Smith, OT Alabama
Throw character problems out of the window when you're dealing with Daniel Snyder, he just doesn't really care. The 'Skins offensive line is getting old, and Andre Smith is a mega-talent if he can get it together. This pick could end up being a steal for Washington.
14. New Orleans Saints: Malcolm Jenkins, FS/CB Ohio State
The Saints' secondary has been atrocious for years now. They signed Jabari Greer this off-season, but he's nothing more than a depth player. With Jenkins' ability to play both free safety and corner, he's a great fit for New Orleans.
15. Houston Texans: Clay Matthews, OLB USC
With the Antonio Smith signing, it doesn't seem like Houston will draft a DE at number 15, so they move on to their other big need, a strongside linebacker. From what I've heard, the Texans front office is in love with Clay Matthews, so this pick makes a ton of sense.
16. San Diego Chargers: Michael Oher, OT Ole Miss
The Chargers don't have any MAJOR needs they need to address in this draft, but rather some smaller ones, one of which is OT. Michael Oher has tons of raw talent and good be a great pick for San Diego.
17. New York Jets: Chris Wells, RB Ohio State
The Jets are a team that are built to win right now. Ideally, they'd look for a QB, but with Stafford and Sanchez both off the board, and Josh Freeman likely not ready to start in his first year, they'll take Chris Wells. He, Thomas Jones, and Leon Washington should make for an intimidating trio of running backs. Perhaps they'll be the Jets own "Earth, Wind & Fire" backfield.
18. Chicago Bears: Michael Johnson, DE Georgia Tech
As a Bears fan, I would hate to see us take Michael Johnson, but with him still on the board at pick 18, he may be too tough for Jerry Angelo to pass up. Another possibility for this pick is Northern Illinois' Larry English, a road I'd much rather see us go down.
19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Josh Freeman, QB Kansas State
Although Tampa seems to be high on Luke McCown, he's not the long-term solution. With Griese, McCown and Josh Johnson already on board, the Bucs would be able to let Freeman ride the bench for a year while learning the playbook.
20. Detroit Lions: William Beatty, OT Connecticut
Having taken Stafford first overall, Detroit now needs to address their awful offensive line. In steps UConn's William Beatty, whose draft stock has climbed steadily since the end of the NCAA season.
21. Philadelphia Eagles: Robert Ayers, DE Tennessee
I find that this is one of the toughest picks to mock in this entire draft. Conventional wisdom would tell you that this pick will definitely be an offensive or defensive lineman, but with guys like Knowshon Moreno, Brandon Pettigrew, Eben Britton and Jeremy Maclin still available, it makes it tough to make a decision on. However, I think Philly will go with Ayers here and look to address their other needs with their later picks.
22. Minnesota Vikings: Vontae Davis, CB Illinois
Another tough pick to mock with Arizona's Eben Britton still available, but I think the Vikings take Davis to be one of their starting corners for years to come.
23. New England Patriots: Brian Cushing, OLB USC
Ideally, New England would love for Aaron Maybin, Rey Maualuga or Vontae Davis to still be available as they'd all be perfect fits for the Pats' defense, but since they're not they'll be forced to take Brian Cushing. With Cushing, the Patriots add another solid LB as they try to add some much needed youth to their ancient defense.
24. Atlanta Falcons: Brandon Pettigrew, TE Oklahoma State
With L.J. Smith signing with Baltimore, I think this pick is a no-brainer for Atlanta. Just think about how good Matt Ryan could be with a great pass-catching tight end. It doesn't hurt that Pettigrew is a great blocker either.
25. Miami Dolphins: Darius Butler, CB Connecticut
Cornerback is a major need for Miami as they have no one to start across from Will Allen. Though they signed Eric Green, he's nothing more than a solid back-up. Darius Butler and his 4.38 40 time at his Pro Day could be too good to pass up.
26. Baltimore Ravens: Jeremy Maclin, WR Missouri
Instead of reaching for an outside linebacker to replace Bart Scott, Baltimore will instead focus on a different need of theirs, wide receiver. Although he is still very effective, Derrick Mason is 35 and should begin to slow down soon. Joe Flacco needs a talented young receiver to develop chemistry with for the future.
27. Indianapolis Colts: Peria Jerry, DT Ole Miss
With the departure of Marvin Harrison, the Colts will probably look to draft a wideout early, but I think they can wait until the second round. Defensive tackle has never been one of Indy's top positions, but with the drafting of Peria Jerry, it soon could be.
28. Philadelphia Eagles: Eben Britton, OT Arizona
I think Philadelphia will definitely go offensive line with this pick. The big question is: Eben Britton or Alex Mack? Having fallen all the way to 28, Britton may be too good of a value pick to pass up with the departure of Jon Runyan.
29. New York Giants: Kenny Britt, WR Rutgers
Due to the fact that the Giants seemingly have no holes on their entire team, I think they'll take a bit of a reach on Kenny Britt. Britt could likely be had with their first pick in the second round, but with no one still available ay 29 that would be a perfect fit for them, they can afford to be a bit keen on Britt.
30. Tennessee Titans: Percy Harvin, WR Florida
The mini-run on receivers continues as the Titans take the versatile Percy Harvin. Though I like Darrius Heyward-Bey a bit more than Harvin, the Titans don't seem to, which I why I think they'll grab Harvin here if he's still available.
31. Arizona Cardinals: Knowshon Moreno, RB Georgia
Why does Mike Mayock have this guy ranked so highly? He hasn't shown me anything during the NCAA season, the Combine, or his Pro Day to make me think he's any better than Chris Wells. I'm starting to like Donald Brown of UConn more than him, for that matter. With that said, this is still a steal for Arizona as they desperately need to improve their run game.
32. Pittsburgh Steelers: Alex Mack, C California
I've seen a lot of mocks that have the Steelers taking Utah's Sean Smith with this pick, but that's because most of them have Alex Mack already off the board. Pittsburgh could stand to upgrade at center, so the third team All-American Mack could be a great fit.
Any comments?
Here's mine:
1. Detroit Lions: Matt Stafford, QB Georgia
Though I do not necessarily agree with the Lions taking a QB first overall, it's what I think will happen. Let's just hope he doesn't become Joey Harrington v. 2.0.
2. St. Louis Rams: Jason Smith, OT Baylor
This pick is pretty much a toss-up between Smith and Virginia's Eugene Monroe. I think it'll end up being Smith because of his superior combine.
3. Kansas City Chiefs: Aaron Curry, ILB Wake Forest
This might be the biggest no-brainer pick of the draft. Kansas City needs another ILB to fit their new 3-4 scheme and Curry will fit that hole immediately.
4. Seattle Seahawks: Michael Crabtree, WR Texas Tech
I've gone back and forth on this pick for a while between Crabtree and Eugene Monroe, and I've finally settled on Crabtree. Though Seattle's offensive line is old, the team thinks they can win now, and Michael Crabtree gives them the best chance of doing so.
5. Cleveland Browns: Brian Orakpo, DE/OLB Texas
No player for the Browns had more than four sacks last year, and the defense as a whole had just 17. That is something that desperately needs to change.
6. Cincinnati Bengals: Eugene Monroe, OT Virginia
Cincinnati's offensive line was awful last year, and the team cannot afford to have Carson Palmer get beat up by opposing defenses so soon after coming off a major injury. Eugene Monroe is possibly the best OT in this year's draft and a perfect fit in Cincinnati.
7. Oakland Raiders: Aaron Maybin, DE/OLB Penn State
Is this pick a bit of a reach? Yes, but Al Davis loves fast 40 times and he may not be able to overlook the 4.59 Aaron Maybin ran on his Pro Day. With the top two offensive tackles already off the board, any pick Al makes at this juncture will seem like a bit of a reach.
8. Jacksonville Jaguars: B.J. Raji, DT Boston College
The Jags run defense struggled a bit last year after the departure of Marcus Stroud. The athletic B.J. Raji should be able to fill Jacksonville's hole a DT quite nicely.
9. Green Bay Packers: Tyson Jackson, DE LSU
With Green Bay switching to the 3-4 defense, the team needs someone to play DE opposite Aaron Kampman. Tyson Jackson and 295 pound frame would be the perfect guy to do so.
10. San Francisco 49ers: Mark Sanchez, QB USC
It's no secret that the 49ers need a QB, Shawn Hill is simply not the answer, though he will be a valuable piece to the team should Sanchez be drafted. Hill will allow Sanchez to spend some time as the back-up to learn the playbook instead of being thrust into the starter's role.
11. Buffalo Bills: Everette Brown, DE/OLB Florida State
For much of last season Buffalo had a tough time pressuring the QB, even when Aaron Schobel was in the line-up. The Bills would be foolish to pass up a player of Brown's caliber at this point in the draft.
12. Denver Broncos: Rey Maualuga, ILB USC
Tyson Jackson would likely be the best fit for the Broncos new 3-4 scheme in this draft, but since he's already off the board they'll be forced to go to Plan B, Rey Maualuga. Denver's linebacking corps was decimated by injuries last year, but even when they were all healthy, they weren't very good.
13. Washington Redskins: Andre Smith, OT Alabama
Throw character problems out of the window when you're dealing with Daniel Snyder, he just doesn't really care. The 'Skins offensive line is getting old, and Andre Smith is a mega-talent if he can get it together. This pick could end up being a steal for Washington.
14. New Orleans Saints: Malcolm Jenkins, FS/CB Ohio State
The Saints' secondary has been atrocious for years now. They signed Jabari Greer this off-season, but he's nothing more than a depth player. With Jenkins' ability to play both free safety and corner, he's a great fit for New Orleans.
15. Houston Texans: Clay Matthews, OLB USC
With the Antonio Smith signing, it doesn't seem like Houston will draft a DE at number 15, so they move on to their other big need, a strongside linebacker. From what I've heard, the Texans front office is in love with Clay Matthews, so this pick makes a ton of sense.
16. San Diego Chargers: Michael Oher, OT Ole Miss
The Chargers don't have any MAJOR needs they need to address in this draft, but rather some smaller ones, one of which is OT. Michael Oher has tons of raw talent and good be a great pick for San Diego.
17. New York Jets: Chris Wells, RB Ohio State
The Jets are a team that are built to win right now. Ideally, they'd look for a QB, but with Stafford and Sanchez both off the board, and Josh Freeman likely not ready to start in his first year, they'll take Chris Wells. He, Thomas Jones, and Leon Washington should make for an intimidating trio of running backs. Perhaps they'll be the Jets own "Earth, Wind & Fire" backfield.
18. Chicago Bears: Michael Johnson, DE Georgia Tech
As a Bears fan, I would hate to see us take Michael Johnson, but with him still on the board at pick 18, he may be too tough for Jerry Angelo to pass up. Another possibility for this pick is Northern Illinois' Larry English, a road I'd much rather see us go down.
19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Josh Freeman, QB Kansas State
Although Tampa seems to be high on Luke McCown, he's not the long-term solution. With Griese, McCown and Josh Johnson already on board, the Bucs would be able to let Freeman ride the bench for a year while learning the playbook.
20. Detroit Lions: William Beatty, OT Connecticut
Having taken Stafford first overall, Detroit now needs to address their awful offensive line. In steps UConn's William Beatty, whose draft stock has climbed steadily since the end of the NCAA season.
21. Philadelphia Eagles: Robert Ayers, DE Tennessee
I find that this is one of the toughest picks to mock in this entire draft. Conventional wisdom would tell you that this pick will definitely be an offensive or defensive lineman, but with guys like Knowshon Moreno, Brandon Pettigrew, Eben Britton and Jeremy Maclin still available, it makes it tough to make a decision on. However, I think Philly will go with Ayers here and look to address their other needs with their later picks.
22. Minnesota Vikings: Vontae Davis, CB Illinois
Another tough pick to mock with Arizona's Eben Britton still available, but I think the Vikings take Davis to be one of their starting corners for years to come.
23. New England Patriots: Brian Cushing, OLB USC
Ideally, New England would love for Aaron Maybin, Rey Maualuga or Vontae Davis to still be available as they'd all be perfect fits for the Pats' defense, but since they're not they'll be forced to take Brian Cushing. With Cushing, the Patriots add another solid LB as they try to add some much needed youth to their ancient defense.
24. Atlanta Falcons: Brandon Pettigrew, TE Oklahoma State
With L.J. Smith signing with Baltimore, I think this pick is a no-brainer for Atlanta. Just think about how good Matt Ryan could be with a great pass-catching tight end. It doesn't hurt that Pettigrew is a great blocker either.
25. Miami Dolphins: Darius Butler, CB Connecticut
Cornerback is a major need for Miami as they have no one to start across from Will Allen. Though they signed Eric Green, he's nothing more than a solid back-up. Darius Butler and his 4.38 40 time at his Pro Day could be too good to pass up.
26. Baltimore Ravens: Jeremy Maclin, WR Missouri
Instead of reaching for an outside linebacker to replace Bart Scott, Baltimore will instead focus on a different need of theirs, wide receiver. Although he is still very effective, Derrick Mason is 35 and should begin to slow down soon. Joe Flacco needs a talented young receiver to develop chemistry with for the future.
27. Indianapolis Colts: Peria Jerry, DT Ole Miss
With the departure of Marvin Harrison, the Colts will probably look to draft a wideout early, but I think they can wait until the second round. Defensive tackle has never been one of Indy's top positions, but with the drafting of Peria Jerry, it soon could be.
28. Philadelphia Eagles: Eben Britton, OT Arizona
I think Philadelphia will definitely go offensive line with this pick. The big question is: Eben Britton or Alex Mack? Having fallen all the way to 28, Britton may be too good of a value pick to pass up with the departure of Jon Runyan.
29. New York Giants: Kenny Britt, WR Rutgers
Due to the fact that the Giants seemingly have no holes on their entire team, I think they'll take a bit of a reach on Kenny Britt. Britt could likely be had with their first pick in the second round, but with no one still available ay 29 that would be a perfect fit for them, they can afford to be a bit keen on Britt.
30. Tennessee Titans: Percy Harvin, WR Florida
The mini-run on receivers continues as the Titans take the versatile Percy Harvin. Though I like Darrius Heyward-Bey a bit more than Harvin, the Titans don't seem to, which I why I think they'll grab Harvin here if he's still available.
31. Arizona Cardinals: Knowshon Moreno, RB Georgia
Why does Mike Mayock have this guy ranked so highly? He hasn't shown me anything during the NCAA season, the Combine, or his Pro Day to make me think he's any better than Chris Wells. I'm starting to like Donald Brown of UConn more than him, for that matter. With that said, this is still a steal for Arizona as they desperately need to improve their run game.
32. Pittsburgh Steelers: Alex Mack, C California
I've seen a lot of mocks that have the Steelers taking Utah's Sean Smith with this pick, but that's because most of them have Alex Mack already off the board. Pittsburgh could stand to upgrade at center, so the third team All-American Mack could be a great fit.
Any comments?