NFL Draft Chat

2011 Mock #2

2010-07-01T03:18:00.000-04:00

I took a quick break from my positional rankings/ thoughts, to write up a new mock. My last one had been completed a while back, so it was time for a new one. As well, the good people at rookiedraft.com wanted a new one to feature on their site!

Here she is:

1) Buffalo- Ryan Mallet, QB, Arkansas
Buffalo has no QB, one of the worst OLines (if not the worst) in the league, and a defense in transition. They’re as bad as a team can get. They need to start from the ground up. I was torn between Locker and Mallet, but in the end I have a feeling Mallet’s stock is going to soar. That combined with his arm being better suited for the tough New York climate gave him the nod.

2) St. Louis- AJ Green, WR, Georgia
Sam Bradford needs some weapons to have a chance. Green is the best deep threat to come out in a while.

3) Cleveland- Robert Quinn, DE/OLB, North Carolina
I’m not sure if Quinn is the best fit for the 34 defense, but some people do. And there’s no guarantee that the Browns will stick with that defense if they cut ties with Eric Mangini and company.

4) Jacksonville- Jake Locker, QB, Washington
David Garrard is mediocre at best. Locker offers a new dynamic to that offense, and brings a face to a struggling franchise.

5) Denver- Patrick Peterson, CB, LSU
Josh McDaniels has no problem cutting ties with veterans. That’s why many are predicting Champ Bailey to move on to a new team sooner or later. Alphonso Smith is not the answer at the #1 corner position, in fact he projects as a nickel back, and not much more. Peterson is the best pure corner to come out in years.

6) Kansas City- Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford
If the Chiefs are picking this high again, then it’ll be official: The Matt Cassell experiment
was a flop. If Luck comes out, he could compete with the other top QB’s to be the first overall pick, so Luck is good value here.

7) Chicago- Jonathon Baldwin, WR, Pittsburgh
The Bears need help in a lot of areas, but making sure Jay Cutler succeeds is priority #1. Baldwin is an underrated talent, and could be the #1 or #2 wide out in this class thanks to Julio Jones’ inconsistencies and Michael Floyd’s nagging injuries.

8) Detroit- Anthony Castonzo, OT, Boston College
It’s finally time to give the Lions a blind side protector. There’s no clear cut #1 OT this draft, but if one is going to emerge, I’d bet on Castonzo.

9) Seattle- Mark Ingram, RB, Alabama
Mark Ingram is a complete, workhorse type of back. If Charlie Whitehurst is going to be successful then the Seahawks need to get a running game going. Ingram would be a good step in that direction

10) Arizona- Prince Amukamara, CB, Nebraska
Across from DRC, the Cards have nothing at corner. In an ever growing pass first league, corner depth is a must. Amukamara is a top 10 talent in some minds, so this is a perfect fit for need and value.

11) Tampa Bay- Greg Romeus, DE, Pittsburgh
Defensive line is a major place of concern for the Bucs. They double dipped at DT last year in rounds 1 and 2. Now its time to go DE.

12) Philadelphia- Aaron Williams, CB, Texas
Almost everyone though the Eagles were going to go secondary in round 1 this past year. They didn’t. Their weak secondary could be their Achilles heel this year, so I can’t see them passing on a corner again.

13) New York Giants- Dont’a Hightower, ILB, Alabama
A talented man in the middle could do wonders for this Giants defense. Hightower is hard to place at this point, but with a good season and his expected good workouts, he could end up being the #1 LB in 2011.

14) Washington- Julio Jones, WR, Alabama
Devin Thomas and Malcolm Kelly have disappointed so far, so it’s time to bring in reinforcements at wideout. Jones is talented, athletic, and is a big time name from a big time program. Right up the Redskins ally.

15) Tennessee- Travis Lewis, OLB, Oklahoma
The Titans have needs in the secondary, but the value isn’t quite there, so I went with the best LB available in Travis Lewis. He would instantly bolster a fairly weak Titans linebacking corps.

16) New England (from Oakland)- Cameron Heyward, DE, OSU
I think Oakland is in for a decent year, so the Pat’s pick may be lower than expected. Fortunately for them in this draft, they get a top 10 talent in Cameron Heyward. Needs didn’t meet for the teams ahead of New England to take the top 34 DE in the class, but the Pats would run to the podium to scoop him up.

17) Cincinnati- Marcel Dareus, DE, Alabama
The Bengals don’t have too many needs, so I went with the best player available inMarcel Dareus here. He could play all over the DLine, and he offers big time athleticism that Cincy loves.

18) Pittsburgh- Michael Floyd, WR, Notre Dame
The Steelers need someone to step up beside Mike Wallace if their passing game will be as effective as it was during the Santonio Holmes era. Floyd is a better prospect then Holmes was, and he doesn’t come with the personal headaches.

19) Houston- Jared Crick, DT, Nebraska
Amobi Okoye has been a disappointment so far in his career, so if he has another bad season, it may be time to bring in a new DT. Crick is a prototypical UT, and would fit in nice on the Texans DLine.

20) Carolina- Rahim Moore, S, UCLA
A ballhawking free safety beside Charles Godfrey could make this Panthers secondary a lot better. Moore fits the bill. He’s my clear cut #1 safety this year.

21) San Francisco- Ras-I Dowling, CB, Virginia
Dowling is an underrated prospect. If he works out well and runs faster than expected, you’ll likely see his stock soar. The secondary is the weakest part of the 49ers roster right now.

22) Miami- Ryan Williams, RB, Virginia Tech
Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams may both be sent packing after the year so new blood at RB is a must. Ryan Williams is a talented young back who projects as an every down type of player.

23) Atlanta- Mike Pouncey, C/OG, Florida
The interior line of the Falcons isn’t that good, and they’re old to begin with. Pouncey isn’t quite as good a prospect as his brother was yet, but he’s close. He’d instantly bolster the Falcons line.

24) Indianapolis- Gabe Carimi, OT, Wisconsin
It was a major shocker the Colts ignored the OLine for the most part this past draft. With Peyton Manning getting older, they won’t be able to ignore that for much longer.

25) New York Jets- Adrian Clayborn, DE, Iowa
If the Jets have one area of weakness, it’s on the DLine, and specifically at DE. Clayborn is a top 10 talent in some minds, but falls due to team needs and some character issues. He’s well worth the risk at this point.

26) New Orleans- Jack Crawford, DE, PSU
Crawford would play OLB in a 34 scheme, but undersized DE’s for 43 teams are in right now (Aaron Maybin, Jerry Hughes for example). Crawford could start as a situational passrusher behind Alex Brown and eventually develop into a starter. For a team loaded with talent like the Saints, they can afford to play around a bit with their pick like this.

27) New England- Joseph Barksdale, OT, LSU
Sebastian Vollmer has one tackle spot of the future reserved, but the other is still up for grabs. Barksdale is big tackle who probably projects better to the right side. This could allow the Pats to finally ditch Nick Kaczur.

28) Dallas- Allen Bailey, DE, Miami (FL)
Marcus Spears is mediocre and may not be around much longer. Allen Bailey is a physical freak who actually has production to back it up. Unfortunately for him, this looks to be a pretty loaded 34 DE class, so he falls, but at this point in the draft he’s a very good investment.

29) Minnesota- Christian Ponder, QB, Florida State
Passing on Jimmy Clausen was a beyond stupid move by the Vikings, but lucky for them in this scenario, they get a similar QB prospect in Christian Ponder. Ponder’s underrated by most and could go higher then this depending on what QB’s come out and how good of a season he has.

30) San Diego- Jerrell Powe, NT, Ole Miss
Is Cam Thomas the answer? Maybe.. but he fell multiple rounds in the draft for a reason. If Jerrell Powe is available and Cam Thomas didn’t show much during the season, the Chargers may have to pull the trigger.

31) Baltimore- Brandon Harris, CB, Miami (FL)
Harris is a borderline first round talent, but he fills the teams biggest need by far. WR depth is another concern, but the value doesn’t line up, so Harris makes sense here.

32) Green Bay- Von Miller, DE/OLB, Texas A&M
Brad Jones is the starter opposite Clay Matthews currently, and while he’s a decent player, the Packers defense could really be taken up a notch with another talented passrusher like Von Miller who fits the system perfectly.

Initial Rankings Part 2

2010-06-27T17:14:00.000-04:00

This years Wide Receiver class has a chance to be really special. In 2 of the last 3 years drafts, there hasn't been a WR taken in the top 20. That will change in 2011. There are 4 potential superstars at WR, all with different attributes and a different style. It's going to be really exciting to follow this class. Despite this, there is one small problem... none of the elite talents are seniors. If these guys don't declare, then the class will be awful, but most people (including me) think that most of the underclassmen are coming out in 2011.

Senior WR's
1) Terrance Toliver, LSU
2) Greg Little, North Carolina
3) Austin Pettis, Boise State
4) Armon Binns, Cincinnati
5) Ryan Whalen, Stanford

Notable Underclassmen
1) AJ Green, Georgia
2) Michael Floyd, Notre Dame
3) Jonathon Baldwin, Pittsburgh
4) Julio Jones, Alabama

While none of the seniors have a realistic shot at round 1, the 4 underclassmen I mentioned all have a ceiling in the top 10. Green is a big and athletic playmaker. He's one of the best deep threats in recent memory. His size/speed ratio, and dynamic playmaking ability make him the best of the best in this potentially loaded class.
Floyd, is another big time threat. In just 7 games last year, Floyd managed to pick up 9 TD's and nearly 800 yards... that's very impressive. Combine that with his 6'3 220 lb frame, sure hands, superb route running, and possible 4.4 speed, and you have a top 10 talent. There is an issue here though... injuries. Floyd is exceptional when healthy, but he's proven to be extremely fragile. If he stays healthy this season and tests out medically, he could be one of the top talents available. Another injury though could derail his status as elite talent.
Baldwin is the least publicized of the 'big 4'. He's even bigger then Michael Floyd, and just as athletic. He has elite leaping ability, sure hands, and underrated route running. Baldwin could be a top 10 pick this April.
Julio Jones is likely the most talked about of the 4, but in my opinion, he's the worst of the bunch. He's a first round talent no doubt, but he hasn't performed up to his abilities so far in his career. A true athletic freak, Jones stands at 6'4 215 lbs, runs a 4.4, and is set to blow up the vertical (among other drills) at the combine. A player this talented, playing on a loaded team that often demands 8 men in the box, Jones should have a field day against opponent's secondaries. But he doesn't usually. His stats are pedestrian at best, party due to his habit of dropping the ball way too much. His motivation and focus have come into question because of his drops, and that combined with sub-par route running make him the 4th best of the group. If he plays up to his abilities this year though, Jones could realistically leap all the other receivers and become the best of the best.

Now onto the Tight End's. This position doesn't offer the same excitement as the receivers but there are some intriguing names to watch.
Senior TE's
1) Weslye Saunders, South Carolina
2) Charlie Gantt, MSU
3) Luke Stocker, Tennessee
4) Lance Kendricks, Wisconsin
5) Schuylar Oordt, Northern Iowa

Notable Underclassmen
1) Kyle Rudolph, Notre Dame

Rudolph could be a first rounder if he declares. He's big, fast, experienced, and serviceable in both the passing game and in terms of blocking. He's the prototypical tight end. He has some nagging injuries, and it'll be interesting to see if he's as productive with Dayne Crist under center, but right now he's the cream of the crop. Another interesting guy to watch is Saunders out of South Carolina. He could be the most gifted tight end athletically in 2011, but he has character concerns. He's been suspended in the past and reports of his immaturity and nonchalant attitude have surfaced repeatedly. If he can turn himself around, he could be a force in the NFL. Very similar to Jermichael Finley, Saunders is big, fast, and a threat in the middle of the field. He's a boom or bust player for sure, but in my opinion he's worth the risk anywhere past round 1. Keep your eye on Oordt from Northern Iowa this year too. Admittedly, I don't get to see much Northern Iowa football but, Oordt has an intriguing blend of triangle numbers. He's 6'6, 250, and runs a reported 4.6. He's been fairly productive in his career so far, so he's an intriguing name to watch.

Next up the OLinemen.

Initial Rankings

2010-06-26T18:55:00.001-04:00

It's still really, really, really early in the process, so I've decided to (for the time being) leave out underclassmen in my initial rankings. At the end of each rankings, or big board, I will note the underclassmen who if come out, would be ranked among the top of each group.
Let's start with the top QB's and RB's.

Senior QB's
1) Jake Locker, Washington
2) Christian Ponder, FSU
3) Pat Devlin, Delaware
4) Jerrod Johnson, Texas A&M
5) Ricky Stanzi, Iowa

Notable Underclassmen
1) Ryan Mallet, Arkansas
2) Andrew Luck, Stanford

You probable already know the basics behind Locker, Mallet, Luck, and Ponder. You probably do not know much about the Delaware product, Pat Devlin.
Devlin is an extremely intriguing prospect. He's big, strong, and has a cannon arm. Hmmm, a huge, rocket-armed, Delaware prospect... sound familiar? (Joe Flacco in case you're new to the draftnik scene).
Well, Devlin is a very hard prospect to get a read on. Why? 1- He plays at Delaware. It's near impossible to see this guy play a lot, and 2- One of the main sources of video on this guy is highlight videos. What's wrong with that? Well highlight videos tend to showcase the goods, and only the good parts of a players game. It isn't a very accurate way of scouting. Therefore many may believe he's better then he is.
Despite this, Devlin is a big time prospect. He has great accuracy, surprising movement, good ball placement, and we've already touched on his size and arm. He has good stats, but to be honest, for playing at Delaware they could be better. He has an upside of a first rounder, or he could slide all the way to the later rounds. This season is make or break for him.
Though I warned about the problems with highlight videos, I felt I should post one anyway, since most have never seen him play.

Pat Devlin Highlights: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d4SBu8S3IFI

Senior RB's
1) DeMarco Murray, Oklahoma
2) Evan Royster, PSU
3) Noel Devine, West Virginia
4) Anthony Allen, Georgia Tech
5) Daniel Thomas, Kansas State

Notable Underclassmen
1) Mark Ingram, Alabama
2) Ryan Williams, Virgina Tech

This is a pretty bad senior group at first glance. It's unlikely that any of these guys make it into the first round. However, when looked at again, you'll see some intriguing prospects. Murray is a dynamic threat. He's fast, he has decent size, he's elusive, and he's a good pass catcher. As a pure runner, he doesn't offer that much, but he could be an intriguing second round option. Noel Devine is also a very interesting guy to keep an eye on. He's tiny, but he's very dynamic with the ball. As we saw with Dexter McCluster last year, even an undersized weapon can make it into the high second round. Devine could do the same in 2011 with a good season under his belt.
The underclassmen though will make or break this class. Ingram is a legit top 15 talent. A natural runner, this workhorse has prototype size, speed and style. He doesn't go down easy, his legs are always pumping, he hits the hole hard, and he's fantastic in open space. He projects to be an everydown guy in the NFL. Ryan Williams is only a redshirt sophomore, but keep your eye out for him. He's a likely first rounder is he comes out early.

Next up, WR's and TE's.

2011 Mock #1

2010-06-25T02:13:00.001-04:00

1) Buffalo- Jake Locker, QB, Washington
2) St. Louis- AJ Green, WR, Georgia
3) Jacksonville- Ryan Mallet, QB, Arkansas
4) Cleveland- Robert Quinn, DE/OLB, North Carolina
5) Denver- Patrick Peterson, CB, LSU
6) Cincinnati- Marcel Dareus, DE, Alabama
7) Philadelphia- Aaron Williams, CB, Texas
8) Chicago- Michael Floyd, WR, Notre Dame
9) Kansas City- Jonathan Baldwin, WR, Pittsburgh
10) Detroit- Anthony Castonzo, OT, Boston College
11) Seattle- Mark Ingram, RB, Alabama
12) Arizona- Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford
13) Tampa Bay- Greg Romeus, DE, Pittsburgh
14) New York Giants- Dont’a Hightower, ILB, Alabama
15) Washington- Julio Jones, WR, Alabama
16) Tennessee- Travis Lewis, OLB, Oklahoma
17) Pittsburgh- Prince Amukamara, CB, Nebraska
18) Houston- Jared Crick, DT, Nebraska
19) New England (from Oakland)- Cameron Heyward, DE, OSU
20) Carolina- Rahim Moore, S, UCLA
21) San Francisco- DeAndre McDaniel, S, Clemson
22) Miami- Ryan Williams, RB, Virginia Tech
23) Atlanta- Adrian Clayborn, DE, Iowa
24) Indianapolis- Gabe Carimi, OT, Wisconsin
25) New York Jets- Allen Bailey, DE, Miami (FL)
26) New Orleans- Bruce Carter, OLB, North Carolina
27) New England- Joseph Barksdale, OT, LSU
28) Dallas- Marvin Austin, DE/DT, North Carolina
29) Minnesota- Christian Ponder, QB, Florida State
30) San Diego- Mike Pouncey, OG, Florida
31) Baltimore- Ras-I Dowling, CB, Virginia
32) Green Bay- Von Miller, DE/OLB, Texas A&M

2011, here we come!

2010-06-25T02:11:00.000-04:00

Alright, after a brief hiatus to digest the draft and finish up my exams and schooling, Im ready to go for another year of draft chat.

2011 is a very intriguing class. While this year looks to be a tad weak on the OLine, at running back, and in the linebacking core it also happens to be loaded with QB, WR, and DL talent.
We have many story lines to look forward to.

There's already a race developing for the top QB of the draft. The highly touted Jake Locker has the coaching, the experience, the speed, and the athleticism. Ryan Mallet has the JaMarcus Russell arm without the JaMarcus Russell lethargy and Andrew Luck has the upside and intangibles. Oh, and Christian Ponder is in the discussion as well. The underrated signal caller from Florida State compares to Jimmy Clausen (who I thought was the best QB of 2010) and could sneak up draft boards with another fantastic season.

Then there's the WR discussion. After some relatively weak wide out classes, 2011 promises to be star studded. 4 receivers are legitimate top 15 talents. AJ Green, Michael Floyd, Jonathon Baldwin, and Julio Jones could all be top 10 picks any given year. It'll be an interesting race to see who steps up and becomes the cream of the crop.

We also have the comeback of Mark Herzlich. Herzlich, a potential first rounder in 2010, had to cancel his season after being diagnoses with Ewing's sarcoma. This rare form of cancer could be life threatening, but Herzlich won his battle with the disease, is cancer free, and ready to play football this year. Everyone will be cheering for him to regain top form, and become the top pick he was once projected to be.

There's more interesting plots to follow on the defensive side. If Patrick Peterson improves on his sophomore season and works out like everyone expects, he could be the top corner to come out in the past decade or so. Can Jared Crick, the productive DT from Nebraska, step out of Ndamukong Suh's shadow and become a top pick in his own right? Is Robert Quinn the best DE to come out since Mario Williams?

So, all in all, there's lots of intrigue this year. I'll be posting my first mock draft of the year momentarily, and in the next day or so the first big board will debut. Enjoy!

Rams to take Bradford then Swap his Rights?

2010-04-22T11:56:00.000-04:00

I've got a gut feeling that the reason the Rams haven't even attempted to negotiate with Bradford, when 3 of the past 4 #1 picks got a deal done, and the one who didn't held out through the start of the season, is because either A) The Rams don't like Bradford or more likely B) Bradford doesn't like the Rams.
Why else would there still be rumours circulating about the Redskins and Browns taking Clausen, when reports show these teams don't particularly like him?
Because I think that the most likely scenario is that either the Skins or Browns are going to draft Clausen, and we'll see a swap of players ala the 2004 NFL Draft with Rivers/Manning.

You heard it here first!

2010 Final Mock Draft Round 1.

2010-04-22T09:44:00.002-04:00

2010 Final Big Board

2010-04-22T09:42:00.002-04:00

Here she is. My 64 player Big Board.

1. Ndamukong Suh, DT, Nebraska
2. Eric Berry, S, Tennessee
3. Gerald McCoy, DT, Oklahoma
4. Jimmy Clausen, QB, Notre Dame
5. CJ Spiller, RB, Clemson
6. Russell Okung, OT, Oklahoma State
7. Sam Bradford, QB, Oklahoma
8. Brandon Graham, DE, Michigan
9. Joe Haden, CB, Florida
10. Bryan Bulaga, OT, Iowa
11. Charles Brown, OT, USC
12. Dez Bryant, WR, Oklahoma State
13. Maurkice Pouncey, C, Florida
14. Rolando McClain, ILB, Alabama
15. Anthony Davis, OT, Rutgers
16. Jermaine Gresham, TE, Oklahoma
17. Jason Pierre-Paul, DE, USF
18. Earl Thomas, S, Texas
19. Kyle Wilson, CB, Boise State
20. Derrick Morgan, DE, Georgia Tech
21. Dan Williams, DT, Tennessee
22. Trent Williams, OT, Oklahoma
23. Sean Weatherspoon, OLB, Missouri
24. Taylor Mays, S, USC
25. Jerry Hughes, DE, TCU
26. Mike Iupati, OG, Idaho
27. Bruce Campbell, OT, Maryland
28. Devin McCourty, CB, Rutgers
29. Kareem Jackson, CB, Alabama
30. Everson Griffen, DE, USC
31. Sergio Kindle, OLB, Texas
32. Jared Odrick, DE, PSU

33. Golden Tate, WR, Notre Dame
34. Damian Williams, WR, USC
35. Lamarr Houston, DT, Texas
36. Jahvid Best, RB, Cal
37. Arrellious Benn, WR, Illinois
38. Terrence Cody, DT, Alabama
39. Demaryius Thomas, WR, Georgia Tech
40. Nate Allen, S, USF
41. Carlos Dunlap, DE, Florida
42. Rodger Saffold, OT, Indiana
43. Ryan Mathews, RB, Fresno State
44. Linval Joseph, DT, East Carolina
45. Chris Cook, CB, Virginia
46. Toby Gerhart, RB, Stanford
47. Morgan Burnett, S, Georgia Tech
48. Tyson Alualu, DT, Cal
49. Ben Tate, RB, Auburn
50. Jason Worilds, OLB, Virginia Tech
51. Montario Hardesty, RB, Tennessee
52. Dexter McCluster, RB/WR, Ole Miss
53. Sean Lee, ILB, PSU
54. Vladimir Ducasse, OT, UMass
55. Daryl Washington, OLB, TCU
56. Eric Decker, WR, Minnesota
57. Jimmy Graham, TE, Miami (FL)
58. Andre Roberts, WR, The Citadel
59. Cam Thomas, DT, North Carolina
60. Rob Gronkowski, TE, Arizona
61. Tim Tebow, QB, Florida
62. Corey Wooton, DE, Northwestern
63. Patrick Robinson, CB, FSU
64. Jared Veldheer, OT, Hillsdale

Rookie Draft!

2010-04-21T22:18:00.000-04:00

Hey everyone, I'm now writing for http://www.rookiedraft.com/ as well as updating here.

Heads up, look for my final 64 player big board as well as mock draft tomorrow.

Happy draft day everyone!

Keep on Mocking in the Free World!

2010-04-19T08:28:00.003-04:00

1) St. Louis- Sam Bradford, QB, Oklahoma
2) Detroit- Ndamukong Suh, DT, Nebraska
3) Tampa Bay- Gerald McCoy, DT, Oklahoma
4) Washington- Russell Okung, OT, Oklahoma State
5) Kansas City- Bryan Bulaga, OT, Iowa
6) Seattle- Trent Williams, OT, Oklahoma
7) Cleveland- Eric Berry, S, Tennessee
8) Oakland- Bruce Campbell, OT, Maryland
9) Buffalo- Dan Williams, NT, Tennessee
10) Jacksonville- CJ Spiller, RB, Clemson
11) Denver (from Chicago)- Maurkice Pouncey, C, Florida
12) Miami- Jason Pierre-Paul, DE/OLB, USF
13) San Francisco- Jimmy Clausen, QB, Notre Dame
14) Seattle- Derrick Morgan, DE, Georgia Tech
15) New York Giants- Rolando McClain, ILB, Alabama
16) Tennessee- Everson Griffen, DE, USC
17) San Francisco (from Carolina)- Anthony Davis, OT, Rutgers
18) Pittsburgh- Joe Haden, CB, Florida
19) Atlanta- Brandon Graham, DE, Michigan
20) Houston- Earl Thomas, DB, Texas
21) Cincinnati- Dez Bryant, WR, Oklahoma State
22) New England- Jared Odrick, DE/DT, PSU
23) Green Bay- Charles Brown, OT, USC
24) Philadelphia- Kyle Wilson, CB, Boise State
25) Baltimore- Demaryius Thomas, WR, Georgia Tech
26) Arizona- Sergio Kindle, DE/OLB, Texas
27) Dallas- Mike Iupati, OG, Idaho
28) San Diego- Ryan Mathews, RB, Fresno State
29) New York Jets- Linval Joseph, DE/DT, East Carolina
30) Minnesota- Tim Tebow, QB, Florida
31) Indianapolis- Roger Saffold, OT, Indiana
32) New Orleans- Sean Weatherspoon, OLB, Missouri

33) St. Louis- Jermaine Gresham, TE, Oklahoma
34) Detroit- Kareem Jackson, CB, Alabama
35) Tampa Bay- Golden Tate, WR, Notre Dame
36) Kansas City- Nate Allen, S, USF
37) Philadelphia (from Washington)- Carlos Dunlap, DE, Florida
38) Cleveland- Colt McCoy, QB, Texas
39) Oakland- Taylor Mays, S, USC
40) San Diego (from Seattle)- Cam Thomas, NT, North Carolina
41) Buffalo- Terrence Cody, NT, Alabama
42) Tampa Bay (from Chicago)- Devin McCourty, CB, Rutgers
43) Denver (from Miami)- Damian Williams, WR, USC
44) New England (from Jacksonville)- Jerry Hughes, DE/OLB, TCU
45) Denver- Sean Lee, ILB, PSU
46) New York Giants-Lamarr Houston, DT, Texas
47) New England (from Tennessee)- Arrellious Benn, WR, Illinois
48) Carolina- Andre Roberts, WR, The Citadel
49) San Francisco-Morgan Burnett, S, Georgia Tech
50) Kansas City (from Atlanta)- Eric Decker, WR, Minnesota
51) Houston- Ben Tate, RB, Auburn
52) Pittsburgh- Mardy Gilyard, WR, Cincinnati
53) New England- Jimmy Graham, TE, Miami (FL)
54) Cincinnati- Tyson Alualu, DT, Cal
55) Philadelphia- Jon Asamoah, OG, Illinois
56) Green Bay- Dexter McCluster, RB/WR, Ole Miss
57) Baltimore- Dominique Franks, CB, Oklahoma
58) Arizona- Patrick Robinson, CB, FSU
59) Dallas- Brandon Ghee, CB, Wake Forest
60) Seattle (from San Diego)- Toby Gerhart, RB, Stanford
61) New York Jets- Koa Misi, DE/OLB, Utah
62) Minnesota- Chris Cook, CB, Virginia
63) Indianapolis- Daryl Washington, OLB, TCU
64) New Orleans- Brian Price, DT, UCLA

NFC West Draft Needs

2010-04-16T17:22:00.001-04:00

Arizona
1- Linebacker: The Cards need a passrusher at OLB and an ILB to replace Karlos Dansby.

2- Offensive Tackle: Levi Brown may be moving to LT but he has never been that good. There is still a question mark opposite him as well.

3- Cornerback: Bryant McFadden was a bust in free agency, so outside of DRC, there isn't any solid corners on this team.

San Francisco
1- Secondary: The 49ers need upgrades at corner and safety. Their secondary was probably the biggest weakness in 2009, and it needs to be addressed early.

2- Right Tackle: In order for this offense to really take off, the 49ers need a new RT to pair up with Joe Staley on the left side.

3- Quarterback: Alex Smith has the confidence of the coaching staff, but not of me. Smith is mediocre at best. If the 49ers had a real QB, this team could be special.

Seattle
1- Left Tackle: Matt Hasselbeck has been abused the past couple of years from bad protection from his line, and the running game has gone nowhere for the same reason. Now that Walter Jones is likely gone, this need is even more glaring. LT has to be addressed in round 1.

2- Secondary: The Seahawks whole secondary is a disaster.

3- Defensive Line: Part of the reason for the secondary's poor play, is because the Seahawks can't register any pressure on the QB. Upgrades at DT and DE are needed.
Side note...this whole roster is a mess. Good thing they took a 43 OLB in the top 4 last year... Thats like the Rams drafting a fullback this year. (Exaggeration, yes, but you get the point..)

St. Louis
1- Quarterback: The last team to look at, is the first team on the clock! They're roster is a mess and they have no options at QB. No brainer.

2- Defensive End: Leonard Little is gone, and besides Chris Long, there are no reliable DE's on the team. For a defense that lacks a good secondary, generating some passrush is a big time need.

3- Wide Receiver: I could've listed CB here, but with the first overall pick likely being Sam Bradford, it'd be a wise idea to get him some outside weapons.

NFC South Draft Needs

2010-04-16T00:52:00.001-04:00

New Orleans
1- Outside Linebacker: This was a need before Scott Fujita left. Now it's a huge weakness. It has has to be addressed early in the draft.

2- Defensive Tackle: A big nose type to pair with Sedrick Ellis would make the whole line better.

3- Defensive End: Yes, they signed Alex Brown...but he's not really a difference maker any more. They could still go this route in round 1.

Atlanta
1- Defensive End: Lets call Jamaal Anderson what he is... a bust. Its time to get a real threat opposite of John Abraham.

2- Outside Linebacker: Curtis Lofton is good in the middle but on the outside the Falcons have an aging Mike Peterson, and thats pretty much it. This is a big time need for Atlanta.

3- Interior Offensive Line: A lot of positions could be listed here, but I opted for the interior OLine because a long term center is needed and depth could be used at guard.

Carolina
1- Wide Receiver: Lets give Matt Moore some weapons besides Steve Smith in his first year as starter.

2- Defensive Tackle: Every year it seems people are mocking DT's to Carolina early, but it still remains a weakness. Maybe they'll address it early this year.

3- Quarterback: Matt Moore should be given a fair shot this year but he is no sure thing. A mid round QB project could be used as development and a possible starting job in the future.

Tampa Bay
1- Defensive Line: The Bucs have Stylez G. White( I cant believe I typed that with a straight face) at one DE spot but pretty much nothing else on that line. Impact players at both DT and DE are needed if Tampa's defense is to get better.

2- Wide Receiver: Mike Bradley, Michael Clayton, Reggie Brown, Maurice Stovall....what a batch of mediocrity. Josh Freeman flashed some potential last year but if he is going to take that next step he needs better targets.

3- Cornerback: Aqib Talib is becoming a reliable starter but opposite of him is the very old Ronde Barber. After them is nothing. The Bucs should begin developing some corner talent.

NFC North Draft Needs

2010-04-12T16:37:00.001-04:00

Minnesota
1- Secondary: The Vikings secondary is their defenses Achilles' heel. Outside of Antoine Winfield the corners aren't very good, and the safety position is in desperate need of new talent.

2- Quarterback: Brett Favre is coming back. I think most people now realize the whole can't make his mind up song and dance is just a way for him to skip through work outs and training camp while maintaining his nice guy image. Despite this, he has to retire at some point, and his replacement isn't on the roster.

3- Interior Offensive Line: Adrian Peterson's production went down last year because of subpar play from the center and right guard positions. They need upgrades here.

Green Bay
1- Left Tackle: Though Chad Clifton is coming back, he's old and injury prone. When he finally retires/ gets hurt again the Packers will need his replacement ready.

2- Cornerback: Everyone who saw the Packers/Cardinals playoff game knows that the Packers corner depth is awful, and with Charles Woodson getting older, Green Bay needs to find some young corners quickly.

3- Outside Linebacker: Clay Matthews is entrenched on one side, but opposite him is last years 7th round selection Brad Jones and perennial back up Brady Poppinga. Some new talent to compete with those guys is a must.

Chicago
1- Offensive Line: Jay Cutler got abused in his first year as a Bear, mainly because his offensive line was awful. The Bears need to address the O-Line in this draft or else Cutler may never be as good as he flashed in Denver.

2- Secondary: The Bears secondary has really digressed since it's Super Bowl run. Both corner and safety need to be upgraded.

3- Wide Receiver: The Bears have a bunch of guys, but no one special at the WR spot. In Mike Martz's offense the QB needs weapons on the outside...Chicago doesn't really have those.

Detroit
1- Cornerback: Their secondary was torched last year, and no Chris Houstin is not the answer.

2- Defensive End: The whole DLine was awful last year, but the Lions at least got Corey Williams at DT from Cleveland for cheap this offseason. DE still needs to be addressed.

3- Offensive Tackle: The Lions need to do everything they can to protect Matthew Stafford. He is the franchise, so making sure he is healthy is a top priority.

NFC East Draft Needs

2010-04-12T12:32:00.001-04:00

Dallas
1- Offensive Line: The Cowboys cut Flozell Adams but even before that there were upgrades needed all across the line. Young bodies are needed at tackle and inside.

2-Safety: Gerald Sensabaugh played decent enough for the Boys but he's not a long term answer. Michael Hamlin and Pat Watkins are the only other safeties on the roster, and both are mediocre. Upgrades could be used.

3- Wide Receiver: Miles Austin had a breakout year last season but across from him is the under-performing Roy Williams and after that, there isn't much talent. The Cowboys should draft a WR or two this draft.

Philadelphia
1- Cornerback: This was a need before Sheldon Brown was dealt to Cleveland, but now it's a huge priority. Asante Samuel is a good, but not great corner, and he's all they pretty much have.

2- Outside Linebacker: Stewart Bradley is set to come back from his nasty injury and start in the middle, but on the outside the Eagles have Akeem Jordan and then...basically nobody.

3- Defensive End: Trent Cole continues to be one of the most under rated guys in the NFL, but he won't get the stats he deserves until another stud DE steps in across from him. Daryl Tapp is probably not that guy for the record.

New York Giants
1- Linebacker: They have no one capable of playing inside and even their OLB's need upgrades.

2- Defensive Tackle: They need a capable big man in the middle to free up their speedy edge rushers.

3- Offensive Line: They're getting old, and some young blood is needed. William Beatty was drafted last year to be the LT of the future but some interior guys could be used.

Washington
1- Offensive Tackle: They went out and got their QB. Now they need to protect him. Washington had one of the worst, if not THE worst offensive line's last year.

2- Defensive Line: Is Albert Haynesworth a good fit at NT? Will he even be on the team this year? Who will the starting DE's be? There are a lot of questions about the Redskins new 34 front.

3- Wide Receiver: They tried to address this position with Malcolm Kelly and Devin Thomas a few years back, but so far they've gotten nothing in return. McNabb needs weapons.

AFC West Draft Needs

2010-04-11T16:58:00.000-04:00

San Diego
1- Nose Tackle: Jamal Williams is now in Denver and San Diego is left without any real options at nose tackle. Arguably the most important position in the 34 defense, the NT gets the nod over RB for San Diego's #1 need.

2- Running Back: Darren Sproles is the only real back on the roster and he's more of a compliment then a feature guy.

3- Cornerback: Antoine Cason is set to slip into the starting lineup across from Quentin Jammer but there is no depth to speak of.

Denver
1- Center: Denver currently has no centers on the roster. For a team that usually sports a solid offensive line, getting a true difference maker at center will be a priority this draft.

2- Inside Linebacker: Andra Davis was released so the starting spot beside DJ Williams is wide open.

3- Wide Receiver: It is unlikely that Brandon Marshall comes back, but if he does I'd move another position such as NT, up to #3 on the list.

Oakland
1- Quarterback: JaMarcus Russell had all the potential in the world...too bad he's lazy, unmotivated, and out of shape. He's officially in the debate for biggest bust ever with Ryan Leaf.

2- Offensive Tackle: Whoever the QB is this year for Oakland, they'll need a solid blindside protector.

3- Wide Receiver: You may see other people list DT, DE, LB, or even CB ahead of WR on the Raiders list of needs... Id disagree. The passing game is what killed the Raiders last year. Their WR play was pretty awful. They need more reliable options at wideout.

Kansas City
1- Inside Linebacker: Their ILB play last year was abysmal. They need more bodies in the middle.

2- Safety: Jon McGraw and DaJuan Morgan? Are you kidding me?

3- Offensive Line: Brandon Albert has been serviceable at LT but the interior OL is really bad. A true LT to kick Albert inside or to RT could work wonders for this offense.

The Sport Science of Ndamukong Suh

2010-04-11T15:33:00.002-04:00

Check out this video about the best player in the draft, Ndamukong Suh.

http://espn.go.com/blog/sportscenter/post/_/id/43405/the-sport-science-of-ndamukong-suh

AFC South Draft Needs

2010-04-10T20:42:00.000-04:00

Indianapolis
1- Offensive Tackle: Charlie Johnson did an adequate job protecting Peyton Manning's blindside but getting a true Left Tackle should be a priority for the Colts. Manning means more to this franchise than arguably any other player for any other team so they should do whatever they can to make sure he's upright and healthy.

2- Defensive Tackle: The Colts have gotten away without having an impact DT for years, but a big body in the middle to free up the rest of their speedy playmakers on defense could take that defense to the next level

3- Cornerback: The Colts have pretty much no depth at this position to speak of and none of the guys on the roster are impact corners to begin with. This is a position that could be looked at early for Indy.

Houston
1- Cornerback: Houston's secondary was its main weakness before Dunta Robinson left for Atlanta. Now its even bigger of an issue. They should look to take a corner very early this draft.

2- Runningback: Steve Slaton is mediocre at best and the lack of a real goalline threat hurt the team at times this past season. A workhorse back to take the pressure off of the Texan's passing game could help Houston finally get over the hump.

3- Defensive Tackle: The Texans should be looking at taking a big nose to free up those dynamic linebackers.

Tennessee
1- Defensive End: The Titans have pretty much no one to rush the passer anymore, and in a division featuring Peyton Manning and the Colts, and Andre Johnson and the Texans, slowing down the passing game is exceptionally important.

2- Linebacker: Tennessee signed Will Weatherspoon to help out at OLB but they still have no one to plug into the ILB role.

3- Center: Kevin Mawae was a team leader but he has moved on and his replacement isn't likely on the roster so grabbing a center in this years draft is a must.

Jacksonville
1- Safety: Reggie Nelson is a bust at FS and they could also use an upgrade at SS. The Jaguars cornerbacks are decent but the safeties are awful.

2- Inside Linebacker: The Jags are moving Justin Durant to the outside leaving a big hole an ILB. They will likely address this position early.

3- Quarterback: David Garrard would be better served as a backup. Though he is serviceable enough, it wouldn't surprise anyone if the Jaguars opted to look for their QB of the future in this draft.

AFC North Draft Needs

2010-04-10T20:22:00.002-04:00

Cincinnati
1- Safety: The Bengals have probably the best pair of starting corners in the league but the safeties playing along side them are pretty awful. To make the secondary complete they could use a big time upgrade at either safety position.

2- Guard: Cincy addressed the tackle situation last year but inside at guard they have Bobby Williams (who is old to begin with) and pretty much nothing else. Obtaining extra linemen to pave the way for Cedric Benson and to even more importantly protect the always fragile Carson Palmer should be high on Cincy's to do list.

3- Wide Receiver: The Bengals have Chad Ochocinco and Antonio Bryant as their starters but after that a bunch of question marks. The NFL is a pass first league nowadays and the Bengals passing game is their biggest weakness so bringing in an extra receiver early on draft weekend would help this team immensely.

Baltimore
1- Cornerback: The Ravens are really weak at the corner position. It should be a position addressed early on draft day.

2-Defensive End/Outside Linebacker: Terrell Suggs is entrenched at one starter spot but after that the Bengals have an aging Jarrett Johnson and an unknown in Paul Kruger.

3- Tight End: Todd Heap is in decline and his replacement is needed ASAP. A good young TE to pair with Heap would really help in Joe Flacco's development.

Pittsburgh
1- Cornerback: The Steelers secondary was exposed last season after Troy Polamalu went down. He'll be back in 2010 but the corner position still needs more talent.

2- Wide Receiver: Now that Santonio Holmes is gone the Steelers have Mike Wallace and then just a bunch of guys. They need more weapons.

3- Offensive Line: Pittsburgh has gotten away for a couple years now with a sub par line, but adding in some reinforcements to both the interior and tackle positions would do this team good.

Cleveland
1- Quarterback: Jake Delhomme and Senece Wallace are set to battle for the starting gig...yikes.

2- Outside Linebacker: There is pretty much no proven passrushers on the Browns roster.

3- Safety: Realistically I could have listed a bunch of positions in this spot, but the Browns safety situation is particularly bad. Mike Adams and Abram Elam are likely the projected starters at this point... think the Browns would like Eric Berry?!

AFC East Draft Needs

2010-04-10T18:49:00.001-04:00

New England
1- OLB: New England's passrush used to be a strong point. Not any more. They've rebuilt the secondary for the most part, they have a stud ILB, and they have a NT. They just need an OLB.

2- DE: Richard Seymour's departure really hurt this DLine.

3- WR: Randy Moss' long term future is unknown. Wes Welker is a pure slot guy, and he's coming off a brutal injury. Another option is needed.

New York Jets
1- WR: The running game is there...the defense is solid... they have the young franchise QB...what they need to do now is get more weapons.

2- DE: The Jets DLine is fairly solid but some young blood out at DE would really help.

3- Secondary: Sure the Jets got Antonio Cromartie...but truth is, Cromartie isn't that good. Jets would be wise to get another corner or two this draft, and the safety position also could use an upgrade.

Miami
1-WR: If Chad Henne is going to succeed he needs better weapons.

2-OLB: Bill Parcells builds his teams around his passrushers. Currently their best passrusher under contract is Cam Wake. They definitely need another one

3-NT: Jason Ferguson is suspended for the first 8 games AND hes already pretty old anyway. A young NT is a big time need.

Buffalo
1-QB: Trent Edwards, Ryan Fitzpatrick, and Brian Brohm are the current Bills QB's... I think I just threw up in my mouth.

2-OT: The Bills offensive line is an absolute mess. Itll continue to be that way until they get some real offensive tackles on the roster.

3-NT: Shifting to a 34 defense usually means 2 things...get yourself a solid passrushing OLB and get yourself a NT. They took a passrusher last year, now they need their big body in the middle.

2010 Safeties

2010-04-08T22:53:00.001-04:00

Playing the safety position in todays NFL is a very tough task. To be an elite safety you're expected to cover like a corner and hit like a linebacker. There aren't many players gifted enough to excel at both of these traits. This year there is. Eric Berry is one of the most dynamic prospects to come out in recent memory. He is the #2 overall player in this years draft behind Ndamukong Suh. He is one of two or maybe three players this year that is truly and elite NFL prospect. Berry has the coverage skills to run with anyone and he combines that with elite hands and dynamic skills with the ball in his hand. Any team could feel comfortable playing Berry in centerfield and let him roam free and call it a day. But thatd be a mistake in my opinion. Berry is a Charles Woodson clone. Not only can be play safety, he can be left alone on an island against a receiver as an outside corner, you can plug him in at nickel, and you can let him blitz off the edge. Berry hits like a truck, and tackles as good as anyone. Combining those run stuffing skills with his 4.4 speed and elite athleticism makes Berry a true weapon. You can line him up anywhere and he can do it all. There really aren't enough good things one can say about Berry. He dominated in the SEC for three years and has shown the ability to play anywhere in the secondary. Berry routinely tops safety rankings this year, but one well known draft analysis has him as his #2 safety....crazy talk I say! Mike Mayock is the best in the business, and for the most part, when Mayock talks, you should listen. He has access to a ton of tape, has a proven track record, and his analysis is usually spot on. Rating Eric Berry behind Earl Thomas to me though is pretty ridiculous.
Thomas is a fantastic cover guy. He can run with anyone, and he showed his ball skills this past year notching 8 picks. Like Berry, hes fast and athletic and can turn and run with anyone. His problems are that he isn't that strong, he misses some tackles, and he's not exactly a physical presence. His best fit may come at corner at the next level. In fact, had he stayed in Texas, thats where they may have moved him for next season. So while Thomas is no slouch, he just isn't even in the same league as Berry.

Both of the aforementioned guys are first round locks. The next guy on the list is Taylor Mays.
A lot can be said about Taylor Mays. He is probably the hardest prospect to evaluate this year.
I can start with this... Mays may be the biggest athletic freak the NFL draft has seen in many, many years. He is nearly 6'4, 230 lbs... and he can run a sub 4.3 40.... that is Chris Johnson territory folks. Thats right... a guy who is big enough to play linebacker who runs at a similar speed to the fastest guy in the league. Thats absolutely mind blowing. Though his combine official times say he ran a 4.4, anyone with half a brain can look up his 40 yard dash video and manually time it and have it come up in the 4.3 range every time.
Okay. Enough about his phycial freakishness. How is his tape? Difficult to tell... Mays played in a one deep base defense pretty much his entire time in USC. Teams knew what he was going to do pretty much every play... he roamed center field exclusively. It was some pretty clear cover one or cover three type zones. So it wasn't hard to avoid him...which gives us a difficult task in terms of evalutaing his NFL potential. Teams often steered clear of throwing deep on him, but when they did challenge him Mays could never really display any ball skills of any kind. Where he shines is in run support and in laying the huge hit on helpless receivers. He is a real intimidating force. He does struggle in diagnosing plays and he takes some pretty brutal angles at times resulting in bad technique and missed tackles.
Mays played in a difficult system to scout, but what is apparent is 2 things.
1- He has world class athleticism. He's got the speed, he's got the strength.
2- At times he played flat out poorly. Bad angles, bad technique, and no ball skills to be seen.
So where does that put him in the draft? Tough to say. I think he's worth a first rounder. Guys with his skill set dont come along often. Maybe his best position will be as an in the box strong safety instead of the deep cover one rover. That position would allow him to come in and easily cover a tight end or slot guy while also allowing him to shoot up the middle and attack the run. Mays has a sky high ceiling but he also has bust potential. I think he's worth the risk, but buyer beware.

Here are my rankings:
1) Eric Berry, Tennessee (Top 10)
2) Earl Thomas, Texas (Round 1)
3) Taylor Mays, USC (Round 1-2)
4) Nate Allen, USF (Round 2)
5) Morgan Burnett, Georgia Tech (Round 2)
6) Chad Jones, LSU (Round 3)
7) Reshad Jones, Georgia (Round 3)
8) Larry Asante, Nebraska (Round 4-5)
9) Darrel Stuckey, Kansas (Round 4-5)
10) Major Wright, Florida (Round 4-5)

2010 Cornerbacks

2010-04-06T19:42:00.002-04:00

This years corner class is a very exceptional group...off the top of my head there are approximately 10 guys that could go in the first 2 rounds. Thats impressive.

One name who isn't talked about a lot is Chris Cook from Virginia. Cook is probably a second round lock but there are rumblings that the Vikings like him enough to possibly take him at #30 overall.
Cook is 6'2 212 lbs and runs a mid 4.4 40. Those triangle numbers are extremely intriguing. He is a good athlete, and has excellent hips and change of direction skills. He has good ball skills as well. Though his technique isn't that great and he isn't very physical, Cooks athleticism and triangle numbers are enough to have a team gamble on him. With good coaching and in the right situation the sky is the limit on this kid.

My favourite corner in this draft is probably Donovan Warren from Michigan. He is a great athlete, with exceptional ball skills, and he plays the run extremely well. He is physical, a good tackler, and is comfortable being left alone on an island with a receiver. His problem? Speed. He ran an awful 40 yard dash at the combine. Now for some positions, the 40 doesn't mean much. For corners however it means a lot. Warren ran a 4.64. Thats pretty bad. If he ran, say a 4.44 then Warren would most likely be a 2nd rounder, but unfortunately for him he could fall to round 4. I like Warren a lot despite of his speed. Put him in a zone situation where he doesn't often have to turn and run with receivers down field and instead can keep his eye on the line of scrimmage and pitch in on the run game, and you could have yourselves a poor man's Antoine Winfield.

Now there is a lot that can be said about guys like Joe Haden and Kyle Wilson, who are virtual first round locks. I want to discuss another guy who could slip into round one but doesn't get much publicity...Kareem Jackson.
Jackson has size, speed, and physicality. He is scheme diverse and is a very good run defender. He does get burned sometimes and has issues with separation from speed receivers but he has the skill set and athleticism to overcome those issues. Jackson got overlooked on Alabama because his team was stacked with so many other stars, but on draft day his name could be called earlier than most casual fans realize.

Here are my rankings:
1) Joe Haden, Florida (Round 1)
2) Kyle Wilson, Boise State (Round 1)
3) Devin McCourty, Rutgers (Round 1-2)
4) Kareem Jackson, Alabama (Round 1-2)
5) Chris Cook, Virginia (Round 1-2)
6) Perrish Cox, Oklahoma State (Round 2-3)
7) Dominique Franks, Oklahoma (Round 2)
8) Patrick Robinson, FSU (Round 2)
9) Donovan Warren, Michigan (Round 4)
10) Jerome Murphy, USF (Round 2-3)

Mock, Mock... Who's There?

2010-04-06T14:41:00.001-04:00

1) St. Louis- Sam Bradford, QB, Oklahoma
Seems like consensus at this point. I disagree with the pick, but I can't see it not happening.

2) Detroit- Ndamukong Suh, DT, Nebraska
Best player available in Suh...or proetect Stafford's blindside with Okung? Last year the Lions showed us they like taking the BPA over positional value (Pettigrew over Oher) so Suh is the pick for now.

3) Tampa Bay- Gerald McCoy, DT, Oklahoma
They'll take Suh if he is available or McCoy if he isn't. That simple.

4) Washington- Russell Okung, OT, Oklahoma State
They just got their QB. Now they need to focus on the OL.

5) Kansas City- Bryan Bulaga, OT, Iowa
Reports are they love Bulaga and don't want to take a safety in the top 5.

6) Seattle- Eric Berry, S, Tennessee
Very hard pick to project. Berry is the best guy left. But they have a huge hole on the OL and Trent Williams is shooting up draft boards for some weird reason. We don't know how Schneider and Carroll will draft yet, so for now I'll go the safe route and pick Berry.

7) Cleveland- Jared Odrick, DE/DT, PSU
Shocker! Reports out of Cleveland are that they are in love with Odrick and could take him if Berry is off the board. I considered Haden, Trent Williams, and Spiller here as well but I've got a feeling Odrick could be a surprise.

8) Oakland- Anthony Davis, OT, Rutgers
I've been going Bruce Campbell for a while now at this pick, but when you step back and think of it that makes no sense. Al Davis loves his skill players fast and athletic, but he likes his lineman big, strong, and overpowering. Davis fits the bill. His character concerns don't scare crazy Al.

9) Buffalo- Trent Williams, OT, Oklahoma
Harest pick so far... Clausen, Williams, Dan Williams, or CJ Spiller? This is hard because we dont have a history of this regime to study. Everyone is saying that Clausen is falling like a rock (which he shouldn't) and I've also heard Buffalo wants Tim Tebow. So Clausen is out for now. Spiller is a realistic option, but too much of a luxury for an offense with no line and no QB... Dan Williams is a possibility but Trent's value is better...so Trent Williams it is!

10) Jacksonville- Tim Tebow, QB, Florida
This pick could be Tim Tebow. Considering they dont have a second round pick, they're going to have to grab him in round 1 or kiss him goodbye.

11) Denver- Earl Thomas, DB, Texas
Last year Denver went BPA in round 1 grabbing Knowshon Moreno and Robert Ayers even though both were iffy picks. I have a feeling Thomas is high on a lot of teams boards, and Denver would be wise to nab a guy who could play corner or safety for them.

12) Miami- Jason Pierre-Paul, DE/OLB, USF
Parcells wants his rush linebacker bad. I can't see him not getting one here.

13) San Francisco- Joe Haden, CB, Florida
Great value, and at a position of need.

14) Seattle- CJ Spiller, RB, Clemson
This was Spiller or Charles Brown all the way. Spiller is a better talent in most peoples eyes, and Alex Gibbs probably thinks he can plug anyone into his zone blocking scheme, so they elect to go the RB.

15) New York Giants- Rolando McClain, ILB, Alabama
Good fit in their defense. I think the Giants are looking DT or LB all the way here, so McClain is probably the best value.

16) Tennessee- Derrick Morgan, DE, Georgia Tech
Their DE situation is really bad and Morgan is fantastic value.

17) San Francisco (from Carolina)- Bruce Campbell, OT, Maryland
The 49ers need to come out of round 1 with a RT and some secondary help. Campbell is a bit of a reach but he has all world potential.

18) Pittsburgh- Maurkice Pouncey, C/OG, Florida
Too high for a center? Think again. This is as low as he goes. He could go as high as #11.

19) Atlanta- Brandon Graham, DE, Michigan
Weatherspoon or Graham? Its a toss up but Atlanta seems to favour positional value (QB, LT, DT were the last 3 first rounders for the Falcons) so they go with the DE over the LB.

20) Houston- Ryan Mathews, RB, Fresno State
For whatever reasons, many teams are smitten with Mathews. It was either him or some secondary help, but I feel that the talent and depth of round 2 corners and safeties will force them to pull the trigger on Mathews.

21) Cincinnati- Dez Bryant, WR, Oklahoma State
Bryant's poor work ethic and character concerns will not concern Mike Brown. He'd take Bryant in a heart beat.

22) New England- Sergio Kindle, DE/OLB, Texas
Kindle physically is a prototypical Belichick OLB. Unless Odrick is available, I think this pick is Kindle all the way.

23) Green Bay- Charles Brown, OT, USC
Fits the scheme...check.... fills a need..check...is good value...check. Makes too much sense.

24) Philadelphia- Kyle Wilson, CB, Boise State
Corner was a possibility before they dealt Brown, now its a big time need. Wilson is good value at this point too.

25) Baltimore- Jermaine Gresham, TE, Oklahoma
Baltimore always scoops up players that fall. Gresham has top 10 talent but blocking and injury concerns. At this point in the draft it's worth the gamble.

26) Arizona-Everson Griffen, DE/OLB, USC
Arizona plays a hybrid 43/34 so Griffen who projects more as a pure end still makes sense. The Cardinals need a pass rush bad. They could also take Clausen if he falls this far but I think they're going to give Leinart is shot, for better or for worse.

27) Dallas- Mike Iupati, OG, Idaho
They could go Taylor Mays here, but the OLine is a bigger concern. A big mauler like Iupati would fit in well with the Cowboys.

28) San Diego- Dan Williams, DT, Tennessee
It was not my intention of dropping Williams this low, but the needs of the teams in front of San Diego didn't match up. If Ryan Mathews is gone I expect this pick to be a NT.

29) New York Jets- Demaryius Thomas, WR, Georgia Tech
I don't like this pick, but reports are that Thomas is the #2 WR on most teams boards.

30) Minnesota- Jimmy Clausen, QB, Notre Dame
It happened to Aaron Rodgers in 2005 and Brady Quinn in 2007...it could be Jimmy Clausen in 2010. If Buffalo passes on Clausen, his landing spot could be here. A huge fall for a prospect with top 10 talent.

31) Indianapolis- Roger Saffold, OL, Indiana
It is no secret that the Colts want OL upgrades. Saffold may be a reach here, but it isn't rare to see OT's get pushed up boards at this time of year. If Charles Brown is off the board I think this pick is Saffold all the way.

32) New Orleans- Sean Weatherspoon, OLB, Missouri
Weatherspoon drops because of his positional value, but the Saints could really use an upgrade at OLB, so this pick makes a ton of sense. He could be a starter from day 1.

2010 Linebackers

2010-04-06T13:37:00.000-04:00

Linebackers, like running backs, tend to slip on draft day. Linebacker is a relatively easy position to transition to from college to the NFL which pushes many talented players down draft boards. Last year for example, everyone and their mother knew that Rey Maualuga and James Laurinaitis were some of the most talented players in the country. Both were projected high first round picks since early on in their college days all the way up until the draft. What happened? They both went in round 2.
Remember guys like Curtis Lofton and Dan Connor in 2008? Both possible first round guys who slipped until rounds 2 and 3 respectively. Some other names to consider are DeMeco Ryans, a super talented linebacker who slipped until round 2 in 2006... Paul Posluszny in 2007, same story.

The point of this is that there is an obvious trend in the draft that said linebackers, and specifically linebackers who don`t offer much in terms of pass rush, tend to slip on draft day. That is a fact. Sure there are some exception...Patrick Willis, Jerod Mayo, Keith Rivers, and AJ Hawk for example... those guys were very talented. All athletic specimens who either projected as a monster in the middle for a 34 team or an outside guy with pass rush potential in a 43 team.
In other words you have to be a very special player, to be a non passrushing linebacker in order to be a first round pick, no matter how talented you are.
Actually, this year we may only have one, or possibly two pure linebackers (not ends that could switch position) that go in round 1.
The first is Rolando McClain. He is everything youd want in an ILB for a 34 team. Big, strong, a team leader, incredibly smart, great tackling, exceptional against the run, and he offers some passrush upside. McClain does have some speed concerns, he isn't the most rangy of players, and he has some health questions. He should be a first round pick. He isn't quite on a Patrick Willis level of prospect but he's close. If he is put in the right situation he will shine, because he can step in and be a very productive player from day one.
The other guy who has a chance to go in round 1, is Sean Weatherspoon. He is a very solid 43 outside linebacker, but he could go lower then expected on draft day. He has trouble with shedding blocks and his technique is sometimes sloppy. Though he is a proven pass rusher he could struggle with blitzing in the pros. He is very vocal and is considered a team leader but his personality has been known to rub some people the wrong way. Despite all of this, he has a ton of talent. He is a great tackler, he has exceptional range, and he has some nice ball skills. Weatherspoon has first round talent there's no doubt, but his negatives are similar to many of the linebackers in the pasts negatives who have fallen out of the first round. I dont think he will fall out of round 1 as of now, but it definitely wouldn't surprise me.

Another guy who will probably go in round 1 is Sergio Kindle. He is a classic tweener. Could play 43 end or 34 OLB. I don't like him as much as most, but there is no denying his talent. He is very explosive and strong, but gets neutralized by blockers way too often. His passrush moves aren't very impressive and his motor seems to run hot and cold. Combine all of that with apparent character concerns and you have yourself a risky prospect. Hes got a ton of potential and could be a terror as a passrusher but I wouldn't take a chance on him personally until round 2.

Finally, I want to talk about one of my favourite linebackers in the draft: Dekoda Watson out of Florida State. He was probably the most impressive physical specimen at the combine this year. His athleticism is out of this world. Everyone knew this guy was a physical freak though, even before the combine. His only major question mark was his size...listed at about 225 lbs in college, Watson bulked up to a very nice 240. With the size question out the window, and world class athleticism, Watson could be a star in the NFL. He was a productive player at FSU with great passrushing skills and the ability to rack up tackles in space. He has all the potential in the world. Watson isn't exactly a household name in the draftnik community but I wouldn't be surprised to see someone take this guy in round 2.

Here are my rankings for linebackers. I'll do OLB and ILB seperately. Ill put a star beside a guy who projects as a 34 OLB.

ILB
1) Rolando McClain, Alabama (Round 1)
2) Sean Lee, PSU (Round 3)
3) Jamar Cheney, Mississippi State (Round 3)
4) Donald Butler, Washington (Round 3)
5) Pat Angerer, Iowa (Round 4-5)
6) Brandon Spikes, Florida (Round 4-5)
7) Philip Dillard, Nebraska (Round 4-5)
8) Daryl Sharpton, Miami (Round 5-6)
9) Micah Johnson, Kentucky (Round 6)
10) Reggie Carter, UCLA (Round 5-6)

OLB
1) Sean Weatherspoon, Missouri (Round 1-2)
2) Sergio Kindle, Texas (Round 1-2)*
3) Daryl Washington, TCU (Round 2)
4) Dekoda Watson, FSU (Round 2-3)*
5) Navarro Bowman, PSU (Round 3)
6) AJ Edds, Iowa (Round 3)
7) Eric Norwood, South Carolina (Round 3)*
8) Rennie Curran, Georgia (Round 3-4)
9) Thaddeus Gibson, OSU (Round 3-4)*
10) Rodrick Muckelroy, Texas (Round 4)

2010 Defensive Tackles

2010-04-03T14:09:00.002-04:00

No positional group this year is as good as the DT's. This group has elite talent at the top of the draft and depth in the middle rounds. It's a good year to be in the market for men in the middle. Before discussing anyone else, every discussion about this group should begin with Ndamukong Suh. Suh is one of the best prospects I have ever seen regardless of position. He has a non stop motor, elite strength, the ability to shut down a teams entire run game up the middle, he can take on and shed multiple blockers, he's blessed with the best bullrush move I've ever seen in a prospect, he tackles exceptionally well, and he is terrific in pursuit of the ball carrier. There isn't enough good things one can say about Suh. However some people like to throw some negatives out there...you usually here three things when people want to criticize Suh. I want to address each one.

1- Suh doesn't have many pass rush moves.
Well how do you know? He was the most dominant defensive player in college football in recent memory, why would he switch what he was doing in the bullrush? His upper body strength is unmatched by pretty much everyone.. why would he change what was working so well? In the NFL, yes he will have to show off some more moves, but there's no doubt he has the work ethic and ability to do so...and there's no way that his bullrush will be fully neutralized anyways. I don't see this point as a negative in any way.

2- Doesn't have an elite first step.
His first step penetration ability is not all world, but it's not bad. He has the acceleration off the snap to be successful and the first step is good enough to be a good pass rusher. No, it is not elite, but that's not really his game. If you watch his tape, you'll realize that his burst off the snap isn't exceptional but it isn't bad by any means. For a guy whose game is based on power and strength, his first step is actually quite good.

3- Injury concerns.
Now this is valid. He had knee injuries in the past and they required surgery. Now in no way has this hindered his play and there is no reason to think that it will affect him in the pros, but a team has to do its homework on those knees before drafting him because if this problem starts occurring again and again than there could be a problem.

Suh is an elite talent. He has the upside of Reggie White. He is that good and could be that dominant at the next level. He is my #1 player regardless of position in the draft by a long shot. Some people think differently though, and have fellow DT Gerald McCoy ranked higher then Suh. Now McCoy is fantastic, in fact he is my #3 player regardless of position in the draft (Eric Berry being #2), but in my opinion he isn't on the same level as Suh...he's not even close.

McCoy has the burst and penetration ability of Tommie Harris (before he started going downhill) and could be an absolute stud as a passrusher. He has all the moves you want to see out of a DT. He isn't exactly good in the run game, but he isn't bad either. At times he can get pushed out of a play rather easily but there are also times where he holds his own. He shouldn't be a liability in the run game but he won't be a difference maker by any stretch of the imagination. In one on one pass blocking situations he has shown to be an effective block shedder, but when it comes to double teams he is easily neutralized. He has a non stop motor and is a hard worker but wasn't overly productive at Oklahoma.
McCoy's technique is NFL ready and his elite first step have people drooling over his pass rush potential. He is a fantastic prospect in his own right, but when comparing him to Suh, he just doesn't compare. If he goes ahead of Suh, then a team will be making a big time mistake in my opinion because Suh is better then him in pretty much every category except than first step quickness. Suh is more scheme diverse, he has better strength, he is a better tackler, he is a better block shedder, he is proven to more productive, he has better size, he is much better against the run, and their motor and technique are on par.
McCoy is good yes. In fact he's a borderline elite prospect in his own right. But his ceiling may be Tommie Harris...not a bad thing, but Suh has potential in a DT that only comes along once in a decade or so.

Well thats enough about Suh and McCoy. One could on for hours about them. How about the top nose tackle prospect??
Dan Williams is a first round lock and should be the first NT off the board. He is an immovable force in the run game, has the ability to take on multiple blockers in the middle, and has a big 6'2 330 lb frame. What more do you want from a nose tackle!?
He doesn't have much to offer as a pass rusher, though he can push the pocket back, and he disappears sometimes in games. His conditioning and stamina have come into question. These negatives are things that pretty much every NT prospect faces though. Dan Williams is a prototypical nose, and they are always in high demand whether it be for a 34 or 43 team. He should hear his name called early on the 22nd.

Finally, I want to look at Lamarr Houston out of Texas. He is easily one ofthe most underrated DT's this year. 6'3 and 305 lbs, Houston is a big tackle who is very similar to Gerald McCoy. He has great passrushing ability, great technique, is very athletic and strong, and he never takes plays off. His problems are that he gets pushed out of the run game too often and his first step penetration isn't on an elite level. His ceiling isn't as high as McCoy because Houston doesn't possess the penetration ability that he does but other then that they are fairly similar players. A team will be extremely happy to land Houston in round 2.

Here are my rankings:
1- Ndamukong Suh, Nebraska (Top 5)
2- Gerald McCoy, Oklahoma (Top 5)
3- Dan Williams, Tennessee (Round 1)
4- Brian Price, UCLA (Round 1-2)
5- Jared Odrick, Penn State (Round 1)
6- Lamarr Houston, Texas (Round 2)
7- Terrence Cody, Alabama (Round 1-2)
8- Tyson Aluala, Cal (Round 2)
9- Cam Thomas, North Carolina (Round 2)
10- Geno Atkins, Georgia (Round 2-3)

2010 Defensive Ends

2010-03-31T13:50:00.001-04:00

Finally, I've made it to the defensive side of the ball!
The first position I want to take a look at on defense is Defensive End.
There's a saying in football that goes 'In order to win in the NFL you need to do 3 things. 1- Get a Quarterback. 2- Protect your Quarterback. 3- Get to the other teams Quarterback'. Step 3 is often where the Defensive Ends come in. Clearly, these players are extremely important to an NFL team. Pass rushers off the edge are some of the most valuable players in football...it's for that reason that back in 2006 Houston chose Mario Williams over Reggie Bush. Simply put, Defensive End's are much more important than running backs and many other positions. Pass rushers are always in high demand.

It should be noted that a lot of these guys I'm going to be discussing are Ends in a 43 scheme but many will project to Outside Linebacker in a 34 scheme. So, while you may see some people mocking Jason Pierre-Paul to Miami as a Linebacker for example, he will still be covered in the Defensive End rankings since that is where he profiles in a traditional 43 scheme. Make sense? Good! Okay lets get into it.

The first end I want to take a look at is Brandon Graham. Graham is an absolute animal on tape. He has a fantastic motor and never takes any plays off. He is good one on one with a blocker, he's exceptionally strong and powerful, and his technique is nearly flawless. He is proven to be very productive as a pass rusher (notching nearly 30 sacks in his final 3 years) and he is very stout against the run. He can easily shed blocks and his wrap up tackling is very impressive. He would be a great fit in a 43 or 34 scheme at the next level. By the way Im gushing over the guy, you'd think hes destined to be a top 5 pick...but he's not. Why? He has some physical short comings. Hes not the best athlete, he is rather short for a DE (6'1), and his frame is pretty much maxed out. In other words, he doesn't have top 5 athleticism, but he sure plays like a top 5 player. I think he's a borderline top 10 talent in the draft and he should be an exceptional player from day 1 in the NFL. We may see him slide on draft day because of his measurables (or lack there of)but he'll make an immediate impact.

Another interesting prospect this year is Jason Pierre-Paul or to make life simpler for us all, 'JPP'. JPP is the anti Brandon Graham. A JUCO transfer from South Florida, JPP has only started about half of a full season yet he's still destined to be a 1st round pick. This is almost purely based on his athleticism. One of the freakiest guys in this years draft, JPP was blessed with a 6'5 270 frame with room to add even more bulk. He also runs in the high 4.6's which is remarkable for a man of his size. He has the prototypical long arms and the ideal burst to be an NFL pass rusher. His tape (though limited) shows he has a good motor and he did rack up nearly a sack per start. His issue is his experience...how willing are you to gamble on a guy with half a year of college experience but with all world potential? Note that he hasn't proven to be reliable against the run, he has some intelligence questions, and he could have more raw strength... JPP is a big time gamble, but if he is developed correctly he could be a star.

From one boom or bust prospect to another, I now want to shift my attention to Everson Griffen from USC. Griffen is another freaky athlete with the size and the speed to be an NFL star, but his one major question mark is his motor. He runs hot and cold too often to get a good read on him. For example some games he absolutely dominated, such as the Notre Dame game in 2009. He abused the Irish Offensive Line all game and collected 2 sacks and a number of other QB hurries and pressures. Despite this show of talent, sometimes Griffen wouldn't deliver...in fact in 2008 he even lost his starting job! I'd be willing to bet on Griffen in the later stages of round 1, but he is a gamble. When he turns it on, he turns it on big time. But you have to take into account that at times his potential doesn't show up. It'll be up to the team who drafts him to maximize his skills and get him to produce like he should.

The final DE I want to look at is Jason Worilds out of Virginia Tech. He doesn't get much publicity in the draftnik community but he should. He is a perfect fit at OLB for a 34 team, has a fantastic motor, excellent speed, and is deadly in space. He didn't have the best senior season but it wasn't bad by any means...plus his junior season was fantastic. One also has to check out his pro day numbers..they're truely eye opening...he ran a 4.47 at 255 lbs! Are you kidding me? Those numbers may be deflated from a generous track at Virginia Tech, but there's no way you can discredit numbers like that. Worilds has the ability to be an absolute force in the NFL. His speed and burst, with his open field instincts could make for a star at OLB in a 34 scheme. Look for him to be taken in round 2 or 3 in the draft. He could be a steal at that point.

Here are the DE rankings...DT's are next!

1) Brandon Graham, Michigan (Round 1)
2) Derrick Morgan, Georgia Tech (Round 1)
3) Jason Pierre-Paul, USF (Round 1)
4) Everson Griffen, USC (Round 1)
5) Carlos Dunlap, Florida (Round 1-2)
6) Jerry Hughes, TCU (Round 1-2)
7) Jason Worilds, Virginia Tech (Round 2-3)
8) Corey Wooton, Northwestern (Round 2-3)
9) Koa Misi, Utah (Round 2-3)
10) Ricky Sapp, Clemson (Round 2-3)