1. OAKLAND. Al Davis loves quarterbacks who can throw the ball 80 yards in the air like JaMarcus Russell. He's also reportedly in love with Calvin Johnson, who is 6-foot-4, 230 pounds, can jump and run and DOESN'T have the congenital wide receiver disease called "Throw me the damn ball and watch me celebrate." But Johnson can't throw the ball to himself.
JAMARCUS RUSSELL, QB, LSU. No guarantee that the next four years won't be 15-49, which is what the Raiders are since going to the Super Bowl after the 2002 season. But at least they can build around a young QB. If he doesn't get run over first.
2. DETROIT. Matt Millen is still in denial. The Lions are 24-72 since he took over and he thinks the coaches he hired are to blame. Calvin Johnson? Millen took three straight receivers No. 1 and doesn't need the ridicule that would come from a fourth, even if he is the draft's only no-brainer.
GAINES ADAMS, DE, Clemson. He could get Adams lower, but no one wants to trade up this year.
3. CLEVELAND. Charlie Frye tries hard at QB. He really does. But he's the kind who ends up being a No. 2 for four or five teams in a 15-year career.
BRADY QUINN, QB, Notre Dame buys GM Phil Savage and coach Romeo Crennel time. If they go 4-12 again, very possible, they can tell owner Randy Lerner they're building with Quinn.
4. TAMPA BAY. Jon Gruden REALLY wants Calvin Johnson. He also needs a stud left tackle like Joe Thomas. Can Jeff Garcia or Chris Simms find Johnson if they're getting buried? Gruden takes the chance. CALVIN JOHNSON, WR, Georgia Tech.
5. ARIZONA. OK, the Cardinals still luck out. This is Mock Draft II and Joe Thomas has survived twice to No. 5. Just what the Cardinals need: a stud left tackle. The last big offensive lineman they took this high is Leonard Davis, now in Dallas. To be kind, he was mediocre. Hope that JOE THOMAS, OT, Wisconsin isn't.
6. WASHINGTON. Dan Snyder would rather not have a draft pick this high because he wants a "name" who may or may not be as good as his reputation. One reason the Redskins are drafting this high is because Dan The Fan has chased names. AMOBI OKOYE, DT, Louisville, who will be one day older when he's drafted than the youngest player ever drafted, Buffalo's Jamie Nails. At this spot in the draft, Snyder had better hope that Okoye is better than Nails.
7. MINNESOTA. If Quinn doesn't go high, he goes here. If he's not here, (and he won't be) the Vikings have to fix the secondary. LEON HALL, CB, Michigan.
8. ATLANTA. The Falcons need a pass rusher. But LaRON LANDRY is an impact safety (literally) and he can blitz.
9. MIAMI. Some of the Dolphins' offensive problems STILL stem from an awful offensive line. LEVI BROWN, OT, Penn State.
10. HOUSTON. Maybe it's luck, maybe it's fate. The team that passed on Reggie Bush is lucky that ADRIAN PETERSON, RB, Oklahoma, falls because the teams above the Cardinals have other needs.
http://www.miamiherald.com/856/story/77419.html
JAMARCUS RUSSELL, QB, LSU. No guarantee that the next four years won't be 15-49, which is what the Raiders are since going to the Super Bowl after the 2002 season. But at least they can build around a young QB. If he doesn't get run over first.
2. DETROIT. Matt Millen is still in denial. The Lions are 24-72 since he took over and he thinks the coaches he hired are to blame. Calvin Johnson? Millen took three straight receivers No. 1 and doesn't need the ridicule that would come from a fourth, even if he is the draft's only no-brainer.
GAINES ADAMS, DE, Clemson. He could get Adams lower, but no one wants to trade up this year.
3. CLEVELAND. Charlie Frye tries hard at QB. He really does. But he's the kind who ends up being a No. 2 for four or five teams in a 15-year career.
BRADY QUINN, QB, Notre Dame buys GM Phil Savage and coach Romeo Crennel time. If they go 4-12 again, very possible, they can tell owner Randy Lerner they're building with Quinn.
4. TAMPA BAY. Jon Gruden REALLY wants Calvin Johnson. He also needs a stud left tackle like Joe Thomas. Can Jeff Garcia or Chris Simms find Johnson if they're getting buried? Gruden takes the chance. CALVIN JOHNSON, WR, Georgia Tech.
5. ARIZONA. OK, the Cardinals still luck out. This is Mock Draft II and Joe Thomas has survived twice to No. 5. Just what the Cardinals need: a stud left tackle. The last big offensive lineman they took this high is Leonard Davis, now in Dallas. To be kind, he was mediocre. Hope that JOE THOMAS, OT, Wisconsin isn't.
6. WASHINGTON. Dan Snyder would rather not have a draft pick this high because he wants a "name" who may or may not be as good as his reputation. One reason the Redskins are drafting this high is because Dan The Fan has chased names. AMOBI OKOYE, DT, Louisville, who will be one day older when he's drafted than the youngest player ever drafted, Buffalo's Jamie Nails. At this spot in the draft, Snyder had better hope that Okoye is better than Nails.
7. MINNESOTA. If Quinn doesn't go high, he goes here. If he's not here, (and he won't be) the Vikings have to fix the secondary. LEON HALL, CB, Michigan.
8. ATLANTA. The Falcons need a pass rusher. But LaRON LANDRY is an impact safety (literally) and he can blitz.
9. MIAMI. Some of the Dolphins' offensive problems STILL stem from an awful offensive line. LEVI BROWN, OT, Penn State.
10. HOUSTON. Maybe it's luck, maybe it's fate. The team that passed on Reggie Bush is lucky that ADRIAN PETERSON, RB, Oklahoma, falls because the teams above the Cardinals have other needs.
http://www.miamiherald.com/856/story/77419.html
