Divining which coed upstart will be the next BMOC in the pros has never been an exact science. If the legendary Mel Kiper, Jr. (of ESPN's draft coverage fame) himself does not know with absolution who will be drafted and where, then who am I to deign my predications any more astute? In addition to that, it's barely 2007 and the draft order is far from being finalized, further clouding the picture that won't even be clear at the 11th hour leading up to the draft itself.
Still, a high failure rate has never stopped the Chris Mortensons of the world from exhorting their own best guess scenarios unto the public. I am no different in the fact that I also want to be heard and hope to be recognized as a prognosticator extraordinaire. Diehard draftniks like myself are, if nothing else, resolute in the belief that we have sort of a sixth sense for this stuff.
To that end, you can rest assured knowing that my own theories are based on at least a modicum of inside information combined with a bevy of in-depth and detailed analysis and an understanding of the essential concept of recognizing perceived needs for each NFL team. In other words, this is one of the few cases where I feel I am qualified in saying that your guess may not be as good as mine, though I'm sure several of you out there will fire back with your own points of view, each of those carrying a valuable amount of insight to us all.
The selection order is based on the NFL standings as of December 22nd, 2006 (so please don't waste your time composing a paragraph-long diatribe assuring us that the Titans are playoff-bound). As schedule and free space on this site permits, I hope to provide semi-regular updates throughout the remainder of the NFL season and into the offseason, but of course my editor has more to say about this than do I.
1. Detroit Lions: BRADY QUINN, QB (Notre Dame) — If there is a football-god looking over the sport, Matt Millen will have absolutely nothing to do with this pick. Quinn is the no-brainer selection for this quarterback-starved Motor City franchise. He'll likely serve as Jon Kitna's caddy for the entirely of the '07 season, but Brady will be the man in Detroit for years to come after that.
2. Oakland Raiders: JOE THOMAS, OT (Wisconsin) — Joe Thomas is a mountain of a man and a proven commodity as a multiple-year all-conference selection at Wisconsin. The Raiders need a show-stopping offensive left tackle so they can anchor the to-this-point disappointing Robert Gallery on his more natural right side. Thomas fits that bill perfectly. While the temptation to grab an Adrian Peterson here may be too large to overcome, Thomas makes the best sense and would make the most difference.
3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: *ALAN BRANCH, DT (Michigan) — If Branch does decide to give up his final season of college eligibility, he'll likely be the number one defender to come off the board. The Bucs are desperate for an anchor to their defense, and Branch could be that guy. If Gruden decides to go offense early in the '07 draft, than Georgia Tech WR Calvin Johnson will be his choice, but don't expect that outcome as Tampa needs to start revamping their aging defense.
4. Arizona Cardinals: GAINES ADAMS, DE (Clemson) — For my money, the 6'4", 260-pound Adams is the top player on the 2007 draft board. His size-to-speed combination is a plus, but his instincts are what set him apart from his peers. While the Cardinals would have loved for Joe Thomas to fall to them here, they will be satisfied selecting Adams and filling their second most pressing team need (behind their offensive line weakness).
5. Cleveland Browns: *ADRIAN PETERSON, RB (Oklahoma) — This is the point in the draft where things start to get interesting. Cleveland, Houston, and Minnesota would all love to snag Peterson, and Arizona (picks at No. 4) may be willing to trade out of that slot if Joe Thomas is no longer on the board, giving both Houston and Minnesota (as well as Green Bay, who picks in the No. 12 slot) a potential partner in trumping the Browns for the dynamic Sooner's services. Recent history has shown that draft-day trades in the top 10 are fewer and further between than ever before, so I would bet on Peterson still being available when Cleveland is on the clock.
6. Houston Texans: *BRIAN BROHM, QB (Louisville) — David Carr's days in Texas are numbered (as of writing of this article, that number would be two) and Sage Rosenfels is little more than an adequate fill-in, so Houston will be selecting a QB sometime during the draft's first day to groom as the eventual long-term solution. Brohm really does provide the most upside — he has poise, a strong-arm, effective mobility, and has proven to be an effective leader as a collegiate signal-caller. While undoubtedly the Texan brain-trust would prefer to waste this pick on a defensive liability, the public outcry for the team to at least pretend they care about the fans' opinions will push them towards the selection of a higher-profile position player. Anything could happen ... however, this is the team that passed on both Reggie Bush and Vince Young.
7. Washington Redskins: *CALVIN JOHNSON, WR (Georgia Tech) — Forgive the visual, but Coach Joe Gibbs will be wetting himself all the way to the podium if Johnson falls into his lap as this mock draft portends. Johnson is a franchise-type of wide receiver. He's built like Terrell Owens, only faster and has the hands of Jerry Rice, only bigger. If the Redskin brass could hand-pick any one player who would fit their system perfectly, it would be this oversized Yellow Jacket receiver.
8. St. Louis Rams: TONY UGOH, OT (Arkansas) — With Orlando Pace beginning to slip a bit, St. Louis will soon find themselves in the unenviable position of having to replace one of the game's all-time greats. While most of you likely haven't heard of Tony Ugoh, you will come March and April. Ugoh is a road-grading prospect at tackle whose stock has sky-rocketed since the college football season began. Because of his quickness and vision as a run-blocker, Ugoh may well be able to slide into a guard spot, at least part-time, until Pace hands up his cleats for good. This would be a solid pick for the Rams, who also need help at defensive back and defensive end.
9. Minnesota Vikings: *JaMARCUS RUSSELL, QB (LSU) — Of all the underclassmen on this list to this point, Russell is the one that may not opt for the pros quite yet. While he is still a bit raw in his ability to read defenses, Russell has the strongest arm in college football and delivers when it matters, two traits that can't be taught. He makes a lot of sense for the Vikings here, as he should be able to step in and start immediately since durability won't be a concern (6'6", 240 pounds) and he has been a two-year starter in a pro-style offense against top-tier competition (coincidentally, that last item is something he won't be facing in the NFC's North division).
10. San Francisco 49ers: *DWAYNE JARRETT, WR (USC) — Jarrett would give the 49ers the deep receiving threat they so desperately need. That he played his college ball in southern California won't hurt his case, either. Jarrett is big (6'5") and has a knack for making tough catches in traffic. When paired with WR Antonio Bryant, TE Vernon Davis, and Pro Bowl RB Frank Gore, he could give the Niners a very formidable offensive attack.
11. Carolina Panthers: LARON LANDRY, S (LSU) — Landry has been one of the more consistent producers in college football over the past three seasons. He would be a nice fit for a team that needs a sure-tackler roaming the last line of defense in the secondary.
12. Green Bay Packers: *MARSHAWN LYNCH, RB (California) — Lynch is an interesting case ... as a running back, he may be coveted by a team picking lower in the draft, which would mean some team trading up to the No. 8 or 9 spot to grab him. Additionally, a team like St. Louis or Minnesota may look at Lynch as a good complimentary guy to have, which again would limit his availability to a team like the Packers, who would absolutely love to have a shot at drafting such a player. But, to Green Bay's delight, it does appear that the draft board will play very well towards teams filling their needs in their respective draft slots, which would keep Lynch on the board through the top 10. The consistent Lynch would fit nicely into the Packers' future plans and would give the team the every-down threat they long for.
13. Miami Dolphins: PATRICK WILLIS, LB (Ole Miss) — Coach Nick Saban knows his SEC players well, and it is no secret that the best linebacker in the SEC has been Patrick Willis over the past two seasons. Willis has good enough speed to play any of the 'backer spots, he is a strong character guy with instincts that will allow him to absorb complex defensive schemes (Miami has no shortage of those, and he is a sure-tackler, which is something Saban demands of his players. Only JaMarcus Russell (a Saban recruit at LSU) could lure the 'Fins away from Willis, and he figures to be long gone by pick No. 13.
14. Atlanta Falcons: *REGGIE NELSON, S (Florida) — A natural playmaker, Nelson would give the Falcons a dynamic young secondary that includes DeAngelo Hall and Jimmy Williams, first round draft picks from the previous two seasons. Reggie made big play after big play for the second-ranked Florida Gators in '06 and his knack for the ball would make him an immediate contributor on special teams and in specialty defensive alignments.
15. Kansas City Chiefs: LEVI BROWN, OT (Penn State) — Brown makes sense here for a team with an obvious weakness at both tackle positions. While he is no Willie Roaf, Levi has the potential to develop into a solid player at either tackle position.
16. Pittsburgh Steelers: LEON HALL, CB (Michigan) — For Hall to fall out of the top 15, the board would need to develop pretty much just as I show it to here. San Francisco, Carolina, Green Bay, and Miami all would snatch him up if one of the other players they covet somehow came off the board earlier than anticipated. Hall is a good tackler and a solid man-on-man coverage guy, two abilities that Coach Bill Cowher loves in his corners.
17. New York Giants: KENNY IRONS, RB (Auburn) — The G-Men will have a glaring need for a speedier counterpart to Brandon Jacobs after Tiki Barber officially retires, and Irons is a near Barber clone. While New York could likely trade down a few spots and still get the Auburn star, Irons is well worth this pick and certainly wouldn't hurt in filling the role that Coach Tom Coughlin will be sorely lacking in '07.
18. Buffalo Bills: BEN GRUBBS, OG (Auburn) — Grubbs is versatile, which is what will set him apart from USC's Ryan Kalil (center) as Buffalo looks to fill its gaping hole in their interior offensive line. His athleticism suits the Bills' misdirection-based running game to a tee.
19. Tennessee Titans: QUENTIN MOSES, DE (Georgia) — Moses is a bit of an enigma, which is why he falls this far, as he is a top-10 type of talent. More of a pass-rush specialist, he fits in nicely with what the Titans currently have on defense at the position and his upside is tremendous if he manages to bulk up and develop a better nose for stopping the run.
20. New England Patriots (via Seattle): LaMARR WOODLEY, DE/LB (Michigan) — A natural fit for Bill Belichick's 3-4/4-3 hybrid scheme, Woodley has the speed, power, and nastiness to make a difference from different spots on the field. Very similar to ex-Steeler great Greg Lloyd in stature and constitution, Woodley would give attitude to a defense that thrives off each other's collective energies.
21. New York Jets: DeMARCUS TYLER, DT (NC State) — "Tank," as they call him, would be an ideal choice for the Jets, as he's a playmaker in the middle of the defensive line and he would allow the team to off-load Dewayne Robertson, who has never developed into the dominating force that they had hoped for. There is a chance Louisville's Amobi Okoye slides up the draft chart, in which case the Jets would take the Cardinal tackle over Tyler, but for now, DeMarcus is the guy.
22. Philadelphia Eagles: JEFF SAMARDZIJA, WR (Notre Dame) — It remains to be seen if Samardzija chooses pro baseball over pro football or, worse, sticks to his current plans of playing both professionally, but if he shows a commitment to the NFL, the Eagles would love to make him their go-to receiver. At 6'5" and with exceptional hands and speed, the Golden Domer would make a formidable target for Donovan McNabb and a great compliment to Donte Stallworth.
23. Denver Broncos: MICHAEL BUSH, RB (Louisville) — Bush is a truck-load of football player and would give Coach Mike Shanahan an interesting option in the backfield. While it is unlike the Broncos brass to pick a running back this high in the draft, Bush is worth the investment if he proves his health in the offseason workouts.
24. Jacksonville Jaguars: TROY SMITH, QB (Ohio State) — With Byron Leftwich clearly on the way out, Jacksonville will need a quarterback to develop behind David Garrard, who has shown that he may be a fine stop-gap solution, but is far from being the long-term answer at that position. Who better to fit that bill than the Heisman Trophy-winning Buckeye with a penchant for making big plays in the biggest games? While Smith is undersized (I'm sure we'll hear all about that in the days and weeks leading up to the draft), he has the skills to play the position in the NFL, regardless of what the experts may say (see Drew Brees).
25. Cincinnati Bengals: AMOBI OKOYE, DT (Louisville) — Okoye would be a steal at this spot. He is a rare talent in that he plays faster than his size (6'2", 300 pounds), but also plays bigger. If Okoye outperforms DeMarcus Tyler in offseason workouts, look for the Jets to take Amobi and the Bengals will settle for Tyler, but at this point, Tyler gets the higher ranking of the two leaving Cincy with the talented Okoye.
26. Dallas Cowboys: MARCUS McCAULEY, CB (Fresno State) — McCauley will shoot up draft boards once the all-star circuits get underway and his skills are showcased against some of the nation's top receivers. That said, cornerbacks aren't a top priority for most teams around the league, as the "have nots" have many more pressing needs and the "haves" needn't waste picks for depth alone. This suits the Cowboys just fine, who would pick up an excellent compliment to play alongside Terrence Newman and replace an overpaid Anthony Henry in McCauley, should he be available.
27. New Orleans Saints: *DARRELLE REVIS, CB (Pittsburgh) — The Saints are set on offense and are comfortable with their defensive line. This leaves linebacker and secondary as their primary points of concern, and the value pick here is Revis, who was brilliant at times in Pittsburgh's secondary. Penn State linebacker Paul Posluszny is an intriguing option here, but Revis has a higher upside and should be the choice.
28. New England Patriots: DAYMEION HUGHES, CB (California) — New England would love to have Hughes, a 6'0" corner, fall to them with their second pick in the first round. He fits a need and fits the profile of a Bill Belichick kind of player in that he's big enough and quick enough to play man coverage or drop back as an extra safety in specialty defensive situations, which the Patriots employ often. Hughes would be a great pick here.
29. Baltimore Ravens: RYAN KALIL, C (USC) — Kalil has the size (6'3", 292 pounds) to slide to the guard slot, but he may well replace Mike Flynn as the team's center if he is in fact their selection. Kalil is a study in consistency and provides the intelligence, instincts, and technique to be a Pro Bowl-level player in the NFL. With the Ravens being set along the defensive line and in the defensive backfield (which is where the strength of this draft is, especially late in the first round), this pick makes sense.
30. Indianapolis Colts: QUINN PITCOCK, DT (Ohio State) — What does the team that has everything except an ability to control an opponent's running game need? The nation's premier run-stopping defensive tackle. Penn State's Posluszny may fit in here, as well, but Pitcock is a good start and they can work on their linebacking deficiencies later in the draft.
31. Chicago Bears: *ROBERT MEACHAM, WR (Tennessee) — The acrobatic Meacham is a good fit for the Bears and their here today, gone tomorrow offense and would be a nice weapon to have opposite the solid-but-unspectacular Muhsin Muhammad. With good size, decent speed, and fantastic hands, the Volunteer wideout could help stabilize a very unstable offense.
32. San Diego Chargers: DWAYNE BOWE, WR (LSU) — The Chargers need one thing and one thing only, consistency from the receiver spot. Dwayne Bowe is big and tough and would provide a very nice option to Phillip Rivers over the middle to go with TE Antonio Gates, who is more effective moving upfield anyway. An addition like Bowe would make this offense even more scary than they already are.
There you have it ... my first mock draft installment profiling the 2007 NFL draft.
The BetFirms mock draft is the first step towards preparing to help you beat the NFL odds this fall.
January 1, 2007
mike L.:
I dont get why u dont have paul poslusny(penn state)LB or steve breaston(Michigan)WR/KR/PR being drafted in the first round or even Tony Hunt(Penn State) being drafted in the first round because Paul Poslusny has won the bednarik lin backer award back to back years and steve breatson is a very fast punt returner,kick returner,or even a wide reciever and tony hunt is the mvp of the outback bowl against the tennessee vols.Please get back to me as soon as possible on that and tony hunt (penn state) also had eight 100 yard games in the 2006-2007 season so please get back to me on that.
January 1, 2007
Matt Thomas:
Starting with Posluszny, he’s the one player that I would say has the strongest possibility of appearing in my subsequent mock drafts (except for a few underclassmen who are doubtful to declare but may change their minds) pending his bowl performance (occured after writing of this article) and his all-star/combine performances. He has similar size/speed of another all-world college linebacker that slid to the mid-first round of the draft (UT’s Derrick Johnson). At only 230 pounds, he is “undersized”, though his performance should render that point moot, it doesn’t in the world of the NFL draft. All that said, your points on Paul are valid and don’t think I don’t notice his omission from my list…he is very likely to move back up my draft board once I get a better feel for how the team’s see him after his postseason perfomances.
Tony Hunt is a solid first-day pick at running back, but lacks the receiving chops and pass-protection skills to rate in the top tier as an all-around option and his pure running ability doesn’t set him apart in that regard, either. While he grades out at the top of the second level of backs (with the Lorenzo Bookers, Selvin Youngs and Antonio Pittmans of the world), this won’t get him any better than a mid-second or early-third round draft slot.
Steve Breaston does have great speed and is a proven commodity as a receiver and return specialist, but think of him as a Santonio Holmes type with less upside. Since Holmes was a late first rounder in a receiver-thin draft, Breaston is a second rounder at best with the relative depth at that position being far more appealing to teams in 2007 than was the case in ‘06.
Thanks for the comments…hope you read my future mocks, which will reflect changes in the draft order and announcements from players relative to their futures in addition to gains and losses made by players in their postseason performances.
January 2, 2007
Anthony Brancato:
If Jeff Samardzjia has exceptional speed, then Rush Limbaugh is a radical leftist!
January 2, 2007
Matt Thomas:
Entertaining analogy, Anthony! Point well taken…Samardzija runs in the 4.45 range, which isn’t necessarily “exceptional” speed, but it is exceptional considering his size. It would have been more accurate for me to use the term “exceptional size/speed ratio”, but the point I wanted to make was that Jeff had all the necessary abilities to be a top-of-the-line WR at the pro level.
Thanks for the comments…
January 2, 2007
joe mama:
UMMM. Try again! Detroit blew the first pick!
January 2, 2007
Mark Pruitt:
You have the Steelers drafting at 16; they actually have the 15th pick in the first round. Any bigtime offensive linemen they would want if they were still available for their pick?
January 2, 2007
Matt Thomas:
Man…I hope that’s the last one of those posts…I repeat from an earlier paragraph in my column: “The selection order is based on the NFL standings as of December 22nd, 2006”.
And yes, much to my delight, the Lions “blew” the first pick by embarassing the Cowboys in week 17. It is a beautiful thing.
January 4, 2007
Cory_hart66:
Why would Brady Quinn Go in the draft before Troy Smith? Troy Smith is the Heisman Trophy winner for this past year. Brady Quinn has got nothing compaired to Troy Smith. Personally I think that the Cleveland Browns should draft Smith in the first round. Charlie Frye is a good quaterback, but I just don’t see him being a good starting quarter back. Troy Smith has all the capabilities for being one fo the best quarterbacks ever.
January 4, 2007
Jose:
Mr.Kiper first of all, Oakland has the #1 Draft Pick and who do you think Okland should get Brady Quinn or Jamarcus Russul?
January 4, 2007
Matt Thomas:
For Jose first…please READ the article. This mock was written on Dec. 22nd, though it was posted after that. It is clearly stated that this first mock draft is based on the draft order AS OF THAT DATE. The next editions will have the final draft order. My apologies for confusions relative to this issue.
As for Oakland…I love Jamarcus Russel, assuming he goes pro. He has the big arm Al Davis loves and he can withstand pressure, contact and stress, as he’s proven throughout his career at LSU (Quinn has shown to be somewhat suspect under stress and rushes things when pressured heavily). Quinn, however, is more likely to be ready to pick up and understand pro offensive schemes and defensive coverages in year one. Since Oakland doesn’t necessarily need a year one signal caller, I like them to take Russel if they go for a QB.
As much as you like superstar position players, however, remember that Oakland has a pressing need at offensive tackle that they may not be able to ignore. They WILL NOT pick OT Joe Thomas at the #1 slot, but they may trade down to #5-#10 and grab him there if Russel doesn’t turn pro.
As for Cory….Why did Jason White not get drafted? He won the heisman trophy. This is a silly question…some college QBs aren’t considered pro material…Troy Smith has those traits about him. While I agree, he will be a great pro QB (not one of the best ever), you have to see the truth of the matter that he has those things about him that scouts hate (short, history as a scrambler-though he disproved that his last two seasons, imperfect ball delivery). I think Smith would be a great pick for the Browns, but I also think that the scouts will rate him low. This is a mock draft, not a list of my favorite players, so don’t beat me up over the unfortunate truths of the situation.
January 4, 2007
chris:
my PC must be messed up as I don’t see Ted Ginn even mentioned. could someone post where he is picked at for me as I can’t imagine a mock draft that doesn’t have him in it.
Thanks!
January 5, 2007
Matt Thomas:
Point well taken, Chris, but Ginn is not included because I am of the opinion that he will not turn pro unless he has a big performance in the national championship game. In all likelihood, he will have a big game, declare for the draft, and be selected somewhere between picks 10 and 18.
Appreciate the continued reading and comments!!!
January 5, 2007
Cory_hart66:
I was reading up today about the Denver Bronco’s Cornerback that was killed new years eve. I was wondering if you think that the Bronco’s will try to replace him with their draft pick or just try and trade for a more experienced player. I was also wondering who you think the Cleveland Browns should draft this year in order to get back on track. I’m a big Browns fan and I hate to see them lose every year. What do we need in order to win?
January 5, 2007
Author:
I think Denver will pick up a DB later in the draft, maybe even in round 3 of the first day, but certainly nothing before that. The team still has Champ Bailey (likely) and did draft Dominique Foxworth and Karl Paymah over the past two seasons, so they should be comfortable enough to fill their other needs prior to attempting to replace the emerging Williams. What it does change for the Broncos on draft day is their potential need for a return man…which makes Ted Ginn, Jr., if he is still hanging around, a definite possibility with their round 1 pick.
As for the Browns…you really aren’t that far from being competitive. The offensive line will be better…Bentley, Tucker and Kelly are all contributors that they missed sorely as they recovered from injuries and they should be back next season, so you can cross that off their needs list. Wide receiver is pretty set, as well, though they need more consistency from Edwards. If Jurevicius is healthy for the full season, he should help stabilize the position and TE Winslow is coming into his own as a budding star in the league. QB is a tough call, but I like the Browns to take their chances one more season with Frye and Anderson before they spend another high pick on a QB project. Defensively, they are set at LB, their DL looks good and the defensive backfield is short a corner, but otherwise decent when healthy. All-and-all, I don’t think the Browns would have been as bad if they were healthy.
If you noticed, though, I did leave one position out of that commentary…RB. Droughns is good as a filler guy…he runs hard, he blocks well and he contributes, but he isn’t a game-breaker. That is why I have them grabbing Peterson in my mock above. But, with a #3 pick, things change a bit, as I don’t see Peterson as a top 3 value. If the Browns keep the #3 pick (assuming they win the TB coin flip), they may grab Georgia Tech standout WR Calvin Jackson, which would be a GREAT pick. Otherwise, they will either trade down a few slots to a team like Washington or Minnesota (who would be moving ahead of Tampa to take Jackson) and take Peterson or they will trade further down and pick up a CB like Michigan’s Leon Hall or Cal’s Daymeon Hughes.
January 5, 2007
Cory_hart66:
I see what you are say ing about how injuries hurt the Browns this past season. In the pre-season I thought that there was the possibility that we would be a contender for at least the wild card. I feel that we have pretty good recievers ( Edwards, Winslow, and Jurevicius) and an ok quarterback (frye). I feel that our offensive line was not up to par this year. I don’t know anything about Calvin Jackson, but I’ve been hearing that if Ted Ginn Jr. is in the draft then the Browns might draft him.
I agree with the fact that Droughns did not have the best year ever. I see him like Jerome Bettis was last season. Let the quick young guy run the ball then when you need it, go to Droughns and have him pound it in where it counts.
Next year I hpoe that James Laurinaitis decides to enter the nfl draft. Hey is an animal on the field. I guess that he gets it from his father.
Well thank you for your insight on the Browns. I hope they do better next season
January 6, 2007
ricky hammoud:
the lions will get the 2nd pick. so why not draft a good defensive player since the raiders will probably pick up brady quinn. and then draft a quarterback in round 2, like a troy smith if he drops of which i heard, because of him being 6’feet.
January 7, 2007
brent:
tank tyler should be #1 pick !!!
January 7, 2007
PantyRaider:
da Raiders are on the Clock and with the first pick in the “07” NFL Draft “WE” select…..DemarcusRussel QB LSU….the dude is big and tough enough to be his own “LT”…has an arm that AlDavis will love…85yds Deep….has the legs and running attitude to to get out of trouble and turn the bad situation into a plus….it will force the “LB” and a “DB” to play up and open up the passing game and the deep thret….play acction will become a streingth for the “O”…and this big dude is accurate and playes in a “Pro” Style Set….
We will draft a WR-n-RB in the 2nd ot late 1st with picks we get from trades of Porter-n-Moss….the remainder of the draft and free agency can be spent to fix the “OL”-n-“DL” which needs a “RunStuffer” in the middle and a “RushEnd” to play oposite Burgess…
The Raiders will return to the “PlayOff”s in “07” with a weak schedual which has only 2 “PlayOff” teams on the sechedual outside our divission and we play them both at home…we will be aided in this because the “Donk”s are melting down and Shanon is loosing it as was demonstrated when he benched his “Jake-da-Fake” QB when they were in the AFC WD lead and than compleatly missed the “PlayOff”s….and the letting go of “Shotty” after his “MartyBall” cost the Chargers their “PlayOff” game against NewEngland….he will take the AZ HC job and “Roast” in the “StickerPatch”….
January 8, 2007
Browns_fan110:
Screw the Raiders! The Raiders have no real talent on their team except Moss. They will go nowhere next year and will still be the worst team in the NFL. Now the Cleveland Browns are going to be good next year. We have the talent on our team we just need to have no injuries. We will walk all over the Raiders next season. Watch out becaust the Browns are comming!
January 8, 2007
kyle hargis:
Armed with 11 picks and 50+ players under contract for next year combined with 40+ mil in cap room, the titans are in prime position to trade up in this draft as opposed to their usual trade down modus operandi. Calvin Johnson may be a pipe dream, but I think we get their favorite of the Jarrert, ginn, rice group. the FA WR group is probably led by Drew Bennett so FA $ won’t help there so I think we address WR in the !st round and use cap dollars to shore up the defensive side of the ball. (Freeney, Clement, Thomas) Perhaps if the Eagles release Kearse like I think they will the Freak Show will return!! All in all, it should be a fun off season. Can’t wait!!
January 8, 2007
Andrew Kelly:
I know you have not updated this and it was done awhile ago. I Live in Buffalo and currently have 8 season tickets. I have talked about the bills draft and many of us (7 out of 8) believe that the bills will draft a skill position. We are probably going to lose London Fletcher and Nate Clements and in my research i have not found a free agent corner althought i found a Linebacker. I believe that the bills will try and get Leon Hall.
January 10, 2007
blake:
hey, you forgot two of the best guys in the draft! John beck and jonny harline
January 10, 2007
Cory_hart66:
When is this mock draft going to be updated?
January 10, 2007
you know:
what about ginn jr?
January 10, 2007
yoda:
the rams are fine at O-line with a young group and a bright future..they should be taking someone at LB (Penn St. Paul Posluszny) or a hard hitting safety like LSU’s Laron Landry..if both of these guys are gone…they’ll be goin for a big sized receiver for redzone offense….
January 11, 2007
Bob Fogarty:
In regards to the needs of the New York Jets, you hit it right on the head. Too many people are projecting them to take a top-flight RB however until they are able to get more help on the OL, to draft a RB in round 1 makes no sense. It is more important for them right now to find a NT who can plug the middle and free up Vilma, a RDE who can put some pressure on the QB’s blind side or an OG or ORT to compliment Ferguson and Mangold and then you can look at a RB.
January 15, 2007
DR U:
Wow, it looks like some people were giving you a hard time about your mock draft. Well, it seems alright for a draft written last month. Keep up the good work!
DR U
January 15, 2007
Dawg Pounder:
btw just fyi the browns and bucs will flip a coin for the 3rd and 4th spots in the draft. arizona WILL NOT pick 4th but will be 5th…
January 16, 2007
Matt Thomas:
I appreciate ALL the comments, even those that are a bit less than kind…
I am working on the second installment of my mock draft predictions…this will reflect the LATEST draft order (again, this first cut was written up mid-December, so there is a good reason why the order is not all correct) and will also include only those college underclassmen who have declared themselves eligible for the draft.
Hope to read y’alls comments there!!!
January 16, 2007
yungjigga:
dude u need to update ur draft positions and draft eligible players. peace
January 16, 2007
Gabriel Mills:
Troy Smith should be the first pick in the NFL draft he the best player in college football a starter in the NFL. WHY 24 pick in the draft?
January 17, 2007
Matt Thomas:
Troy Smith is 5’11”. He was NEVER considered a top tier NFL prospect…his arm slot during delivery is not ideal and he will be engulfed in the pocket and will have vision problems, at least in the eyes of scouts. Unfortunately and probably unfairly, Smith falls into the class of players that excel in college yet may not be given a chance to do the same in the pros because they are so far outside of the prototype for their given position (similar to 5’9” wide receivers and undersized linebackers). Smith’s terrible performance in the Championship game pretty much sealed his fate as a late second round selection at best.
You may not like that, but I don’t make the rules…all indications are that Smith is no longer considered a first round prospect…in my opinion, he’ll be a steal for someone in round two, because I think he CAN succeed, but Heisman or not, his value is lower than most would suspect.
In case I needed more justification…the list of Heisman winners that have not garnered first round draft status is a long one, particularly at QB…
-John Huarte, QB Notre Dame (1964) - drafted in round 2 by NYJets.
-Pat Sullivan, QB Auburn (1971) - drafted in round 2 by Atlanta.
-Ty Detmer, QB BYU (1990) - drafted in round 9 by Green Bay
-Gino Torretta, QB Miami (1992) - drafted in round 7 by Minnesota
-Danny Wuerffel, QB Florida (1996) - drafted in round 4 by New Orleans
-Eric Crouch, QB Nebraska (2001) - drafted in round 3 by St. Louis
-Jason White, QB Oklahoma (2003) - undrafted
…And that is just a partial listing. Smith fits snugly into the Danny Wuerffel, Ty Detmer mold…nice arm, nice body of work, proven collegiate team leader, but undersized.
January 18, 2007
Cory_hart66:
What about Ted Ginn jr.? Is he going to be in the draft this year? If so… I hope that the Browns pick him up. I was all for Troy Smith until the BCS game but now I’m not.
January 18, 2007
Willie_perry89:
SO what about the packers who do you think they will draft and how do you think they will do next year and do you think that they will be contenders next year
January 18, 2007
Matt:
Ted Ginn is going to be in the draft (he’ll be included in my next update, which is currently being worked on and should be posted within a week or so, depending on space)…I don’t see the Browns picking him up, especially in the top five, because they have more immediate needs (QB, RB) than at receiver…even if they trade down, they’ll likely be doing so with the idea of picking a defensive back in the middle of round 1.
Good news about Smith, though…because of his performance in the championship game, he may well be available in round 3 and certainly will be there in round 2, so he is a legit option in those rounds for the Brownies. I think that would be a good move…they’re largely set at most positions (if healthy, of course) so “wasting” a day-one pick on Smith outside of the first round in the hopes that he turns out excelling at the pro level is a safe bet.
As for the Pack…a pass rush expert like Charles Johnson, an offensive tackle like Levi Brown or Tony Ugoh or a receiver like Dwayne Jarrett are all likely picks. In the unlikely event that Marshawn Lynch (RB-Cal) falls to the sixteenth pick, they’ll jump all over him, and that may well happen if the Texans pass on him at #8, since no other team b/w picks 9 and 15 really need a back.
January 18, 2007
Matt:
To finish that question for you, Willie, the Packers are a tough nut to crack…their running game is touch-and-go and will continue to be until they grab a long-term solution to replace the aging Ahman Green (who had a nice year in ‘06, but durability will always be a concern due to his history of carrying a heavy burden in that offense). They could use another defensive back to stabilize that line, too, but slim pickings in this year’s draft…they have TONS of cap space and if they make a play for FA Nate Clements (a VERY likely scenario), they’ll be in business on the defensive side of the ball.
As always, Brett Favre is a big part of this. His retirement would not necessarily be a bad thing for their near-term success (it would give Rodgers a chance to start developing as a pro passer), but it would hurt them in the short term and would likely eliminate them as a threat next season, though that division is quite weak so they may be able to sneak into the playoffs nonetheless. Long story short, I do not think they’ll be contenders next season, but I also don’t think they’ll be a disaster and if Favre plays, they may be a nice sleeper pick to make some noise. They are on the right track, however, and figure to stabilize over the next few years.
January 19, 2007
Willie_perry89:
I think that they will continue their winning ways and make playoffs next year and i believe that farve will play one more year and take them to the playoffs at 10-6 or better
February 4, 2007
Astrobot:
Bills pick 12th