Folks, this is the most confusing damn thing I've ever been around. So much hype, so many question marks, more smoke than a bonfire, more possible trades, more possible veterans being traded. Ridiculous.
So what's to blame? The increase in the internet for sure. Also NFL Network hasn't helped. And nor have people like Todd McShay. Back in the day when it was just Kiper and Buchsbaum....I could deal with that. Now everyone and their mum has a source or has heard something. It's become a nightmare. The draft is also too late. It should be the first week of March. And the Combine should be mandatory for everyone.
As far as doing a mock draft.......fuggedaboudd' it. Impossible. Keith, CK and myself must have spent 6 hours knocking out 1 round. Back and forth, argument and counter argument.
And that was just the Saints pick.
Doing my own one has been sort of pointless. But I have anyway. Over the past few years, I've based my mocks on what the local press have said, both in their articles and in their e-mails and on my own common sense. Take last year. I knew a long time before the draft that Aaron Rodgers wouldn't be the 49ers pick because that's what I was told. So logically I looked at the board and pick 24 and Green Bay was the next spot.
This year it's been impossible. The old contacts have no idea. Everyone is playing superspy. I'm sure there are some double bluffers out there, but there's a lot of liars as well. I also think there will so many trades.
As for Miami, well, I have no better idea now than I did at the start of January. 'Tis true. I look at all the possibilities:
Justice
Mangold
Joseph
Jean Gilles
Winston
Jackson
Holmes
Lawson
Wimbley
Ngata
Bunkley
Greenway
Carpenter
Howard
Sims
Ryans
Cromartie
Allen
Whitner
Joseph
Williams
Hill
Simpson
Marshall
etc
and I have no damn clue. It'll be fascinating to gauge exactly what we do in this draft with regards just how sneaky Nick is. How important was the FSU meeting on Wednesday? How important was a sneaky breakfast with Cromartie? Is it true that Allen and Cromartie are our 1+2? Is McShay right when he says that we have Lawson as a reach at 16 and that we want Jackson or Jimmy Williams? Is Kiper right with Whitner? Do we want to trade up to 11? Are we trading down? Is Jonathan Joseph right when he says we have been all over him since Indy? Is Tye Hill right when he says the same? Cromartie the same? What about the journalist I spoke to in North Carolina who said that Saban was trailing Lawson hard?
Nick has 2 picks on day 1. He traded his 2nd rounder for an injury risk. He's just lost a top 5 tailback. Does he go safe, solid, consistent? Does he ignore the super blue chippers like Allen and Cromartie? Does he ignore the guys who are changing positions like Lawson and Wimbley? Does he ignore the character question marks like Williams and Sims? Does he go with offensive linemen? I mean a good lineman is hard to come by and in free agency they cost a fortune. Does he just go for safe?
Democo Ryans?
Nick Mangold?
Tye Hill?
I genuinely have no damn clue.
And then he confuses the issue by saying he might take a QB FFS.
Onto the mock, as it is. Like I said, it's pointless because it will go **** up at pick 2 and there will be so many trades as to make it worthless.
1. Houston - Mario Williams - DE - NC State
I think signability will be the issue with Bush.
2. New Orleans – Reggie Bush - TB - USC
Mickey Loomis' number 1 player. I don't think they deal the pick. Ferguson would make huge sense. Peyton and Brick have the same agent. The agent was very coy about New Orleans drafting for need over BPA. But Bush should be the guy to help the City.
3. Titans – Matt Leinart - QB - USC
Floyd Reese vs the coaching staff. The coaching staff will win.
4. NY Jets - D'Brickashaw Ferguson - LT - Virginia
Safe pick. No brainer.
5. Green Bay - AJ Hawk - LB - Ohio State
Ridiculously safe pick. Top 3 talent regardless of position. Have turned down trade offers already.
6. 49ers – Vernon Davis - TE - Maryland
Another obvious pick to help Alex Smith. They can come back and take a corner or a back later on. Huff is an option, but unlikely considering what they can get later in 1.
7. Raiders – Michael Huff - S - Texas
It was a toss up between him and Ngata. Haloti could easily go here. And the Raiders have been burnt by bad DB's in early rounds - Gibson, Asamugha, Fabian Washington was poor last year, Buchanon, Schweigert has been average. But Huff is a great pick.
8.Buffalo - Broderick Bunkley - DT/DE - FSU
Fits the Tampa 2 system. They love Huff as well.
9. Detroit - Ernie Sims - LB - FSU
Have been calling this for a while. Millen was a slobberknocking linebacker and Marinelli can see the next Derrick Brooks. Plus he can control the kid, whom they love apparently.
10. Arizona - Jay Cutler - QB - Vanderbilt
Could easily be the Vikes here trading up. Arizona like 5 players Justice, Huff, Cutler, Sims and Jimmy Williams. Justice makes SO much sense. But I go for Cutler because of Denny's love of the big arm.
11. St Louis - Vince Young - QB - Texas
Scott Linehan has made no bones about taking a QB in round 1 and the Rams are known to be high on VY. They could take Ngata here or Cromartie who they really like and they love Greenway here as well.
12. Cleveland - Kamerion Wimbley - DE/OLB - FSU
Tough to call. They would take Ngata here as well. But they have had FOUR meetings with Wimbley, one of which lasted for 4 hours. Instinct tells me to go Wimbley here.
13. Baltimore - Haloti Ngata - DT - Oregon
Easy pick.
14. Philadelphia - Winston Justice - OT - USC
They prefer big hog linemen, which makes me nervous of this pick and they need a sam linebacker and they love Ernie Sims. Aggressive in trades, but they have been all over Justice.
15. Denver - Chad Jackson - WR - Florida
They have an ageing Rod Smith and a disgruntled Ashley Lelie. And not a lot else. They could deal this pick for Javon Walker at which point the Pack might just take Nick Mangold. But Denver have been all over Jackson for the longest time.
16. Miami - Manny Lawson - DE/OLB - NC State
I was VERY inclined to put Jimmy Williams or Demeco Ryans here. Dunno why. Just a feeling in my water. But the Saban quote about Taylor being a Hall of Famer has me. Cromartie has to be really close. And Mangold. God I have no idea.
17. Vikings - Demeco Ryans - LB - Alabama.
All the stuff people say about Ryans as a knock is nonsense. Will be a Pro Bowl linebacker. Vikings really like him and Jimmy Williams. Will be one or the other IMO.
18. Dallas - Santonio Holmes - WR - OSU.
Could be a safety here like Jason Allen or Donte Whitner, but the depth after TO and Glenn - both 30+ is non existent.
19. Chargers - Antonio Cromartie - CB - FSU
Will be a DB unless they deal Donnie Edwards.
20. Chiefs - Tye Hill - CB - Clemson
They love Wimbley, but Hill is the best cover corner in the draft.
21. Patriots - Chad Greenway - LB - Iowa
Could go DeAngelo Williams, I've heard trade talks up for Jackson, they could use Donte Whitner and secure that secondary, they could take the Pat Hill kid Marshall, Bobby Carpenter is an option. Greenway is value at this point.
22. 49ers - Jonathan Joseph - CB - South Carolina
Don't like him personally, but they do.
23. Tampa - Marcus McNeil - OT - Auburn
They have liked him for the longest time.
24. Cincinnati - Jimmy Williams - CB - Virginia Tech
They like big corners, they never shy away from guys with off field issues and this is value here.
25. NY Giants - Laurence Maroney - TB - Minnesota
Higher on their board than DeAngelo.
26. Chicago - Sinorice Moss WR - Miami
Want to hear a wild rumour? The Bears will take Devin Hester here. Heard that from TWO different people. Not buying it. If they do take him, I want the props John McCargo is another option.
27. Panthers - LenDale White - TB - USC
Fits the system and what they do with Foster PERFECTLY.
28. Jaguars - Thomas Howard - LB - UTEP
They have liked him for the longest time. Replaces Akin Ayodele.
29. Jets - DeAngelo Williams - TB - Memphis
Top 10 talent IMHO. It'll be him or Mangold.
30. Indianapolis - Maurice Drew - TB - UCLA
Dr Z says that Dungy thinks Maroney is the best back in the draft, but he's gone. Apparently they like Drew more than Addai and Calhoun.
31. Seattle - Jason Allen - CB/FS - Tennessee
Everyone is asking where he'll go. Which teams has he cleared medically? They need a replacement for Dyson and a possible replacement for Hamlin if he doesn't come back as they lost Marquand Manuel.
32. Pittsburgh - Donte Whitner - DB - OSU
Makes great sense here, especially if Moss and White are gone. But I expect them to trade up. If they stay here, a wildcard is Danieal Manning. Nick Mangold is also a very strong possibility.
See What I mean?
Pointless.
Boom.
So what's to blame? The increase in the internet for sure. Also NFL Network hasn't helped. And nor have people like Todd McShay. Back in the day when it was just Kiper and Buchsbaum....I could deal with that. Now everyone and their mum has a source or has heard something. It's become a nightmare. The draft is also too late. It should be the first week of March. And the Combine should be mandatory for everyone.
As far as doing a mock draft.......fuggedaboudd' it. Impossible. Keith, CK and myself must have spent 6 hours knocking out 1 round. Back and forth, argument and counter argument.
And that was just the Saints pick.
Doing my own one has been sort of pointless. But I have anyway. Over the past few years, I've based my mocks on what the local press have said, both in their articles and in their e-mails and on my own common sense. Take last year. I knew a long time before the draft that Aaron Rodgers wouldn't be the 49ers pick because that's what I was told. So logically I looked at the board and pick 24 and Green Bay was the next spot.
This year it's been impossible. The old contacts have no idea. Everyone is playing superspy. I'm sure there are some double bluffers out there, but there's a lot of liars as well. I also think there will so many trades.
As for Miami, well, I have no better idea now than I did at the start of January. 'Tis true. I look at all the possibilities:
Justice
Mangold
Joseph
Jean Gilles
Winston
Jackson
Holmes
Lawson
Wimbley
Ngata
Bunkley
Greenway
Carpenter
Howard
Sims
Ryans
Cromartie
Allen
Whitner
Joseph
Williams
Hill
Simpson
Marshall
etc
and I have no damn clue. It'll be fascinating to gauge exactly what we do in this draft with regards just how sneaky Nick is. How important was the FSU meeting on Wednesday? How important was a sneaky breakfast with Cromartie? Is it true that Allen and Cromartie are our 1+2? Is McShay right when he says that we have Lawson as a reach at 16 and that we want Jackson or Jimmy Williams? Is Kiper right with Whitner? Do we want to trade up to 11? Are we trading down? Is Jonathan Joseph right when he says we have been all over him since Indy? Is Tye Hill right when he says the same? Cromartie the same? What about the journalist I spoke to in North Carolina who said that Saban was trailing Lawson hard?
Nick has 2 picks on day 1. He traded his 2nd rounder for an injury risk. He's just lost a top 5 tailback. Does he go safe, solid, consistent? Does he ignore the super blue chippers like Allen and Cromartie? Does he ignore the guys who are changing positions like Lawson and Wimbley? Does he ignore the character question marks like Williams and Sims? Does he go with offensive linemen? I mean a good lineman is hard to come by and in free agency they cost a fortune. Does he just go for safe?
Democo Ryans?
Nick Mangold?
Tye Hill?
I genuinely have no damn clue.
And then he confuses the issue by saying he might take a QB FFS.
Onto the mock, as it is. Like I said, it's pointless because it will go **** up at pick 2 and there will be so many trades as to make it worthless.
1. Houston - Mario Williams - DE - NC State
I think signability will be the issue with Bush.
2. New Orleans – Reggie Bush - TB - USC
Mickey Loomis' number 1 player. I don't think they deal the pick. Ferguson would make huge sense. Peyton and Brick have the same agent. The agent was very coy about New Orleans drafting for need over BPA. But Bush should be the guy to help the City.
3. Titans – Matt Leinart - QB - USC
Floyd Reese vs the coaching staff. The coaching staff will win.
4. NY Jets - D'Brickashaw Ferguson - LT - Virginia
Safe pick. No brainer.
5. Green Bay - AJ Hawk - LB - Ohio State
Ridiculously safe pick. Top 3 talent regardless of position. Have turned down trade offers already.
6. 49ers – Vernon Davis - TE - Maryland
Another obvious pick to help Alex Smith. They can come back and take a corner or a back later on. Huff is an option, but unlikely considering what they can get later in 1.
7. Raiders – Michael Huff - S - Texas
It was a toss up between him and Ngata. Haloti could easily go here. And the Raiders have been burnt by bad DB's in early rounds - Gibson, Asamugha, Fabian Washington was poor last year, Buchanon, Schweigert has been average. But Huff is a great pick.
8.Buffalo - Broderick Bunkley - DT/DE - FSU
Fits the Tampa 2 system. They love Huff as well.
9. Detroit - Ernie Sims - LB - FSU
Have been calling this for a while. Millen was a slobberknocking linebacker and Marinelli can see the next Derrick Brooks. Plus he can control the kid, whom they love apparently.
10. Arizona - Jay Cutler - QB - Vanderbilt
Could easily be the Vikes here trading up. Arizona like 5 players Justice, Huff, Cutler, Sims and Jimmy Williams. Justice makes SO much sense. But I go for Cutler because of Denny's love of the big arm.
11. St Louis - Vince Young - QB - Texas
Scott Linehan has made no bones about taking a QB in round 1 and the Rams are known to be high on VY. They could take Ngata here or Cromartie who they really like and they love Greenway here as well.
12. Cleveland - Kamerion Wimbley - DE/OLB - FSU
Tough to call. They would take Ngata here as well. But they have had FOUR meetings with Wimbley, one of which lasted for 4 hours. Instinct tells me to go Wimbley here.
13. Baltimore - Haloti Ngata - DT - Oregon
Easy pick.
14. Philadelphia - Winston Justice - OT - USC
They prefer big hog linemen, which makes me nervous of this pick and they need a sam linebacker and they love Ernie Sims. Aggressive in trades, but they have been all over Justice.
15. Denver - Chad Jackson - WR - Florida
They have an ageing Rod Smith and a disgruntled Ashley Lelie. And not a lot else. They could deal this pick for Javon Walker at which point the Pack might just take Nick Mangold. But Denver have been all over Jackson for the longest time.
16. Miami - Manny Lawson - DE/OLB - NC State
I was VERY inclined to put Jimmy Williams or Demeco Ryans here. Dunno why. Just a feeling in my water. But the Saban quote about Taylor being a Hall of Famer has me. Cromartie has to be really close. And Mangold. God I have no idea.
17. Vikings - Demeco Ryans - LB - Alabama.
All the stuff people say about Ryans as a knock is nonsense. Will be a Pro Bowl linebacker. Vikings really like him and Jimmy Williams. Will be one or the other IMO.
18. Dallas - Santonio Holmes - WR - OSU.
Could be a safety here like Jason Allen or Donte Whitner, but the depth after TO and Glenn - both 30+ is non existent.
19. Chargers - Antonio Cromartie - CB - FSU
Will be a DB unless they deal Donnie Edwards.
20. Chiefs - Tye Hill - CB - Clemson
They love Wimbley, but Hill is the best cover corner in the draft.
21. Patriots - Chad Greenway - LB - Iowa
Could go DeAngelo Williams, I've heard trade talks up for Jackson, they could use Donte Whitner and secure that secondary, they could take the Pat Hill kid Marshall, Bobby Carpenter is an option. Greenway is value at this point.
22. 49ers - Jonathan Joseph - CB - South Carolina
Don't like him personally, but they do.
23. Tampa - Marcus McNeil - OT - Auburn
They have liked him for the longest time.
24. Cincinnati - Jimmy Williams - CB - Virginia Tech
They like big corners, they never shy away from guys with off field issues and this is value here.
25. NY Giants - Laurence Maroney - TB - Minnesota
Higher on their board than DeAngelo.
26. Chicago - Sinorice Moss WR - Miami
Want to hear a wild rumour? The Bears will take Devin Hester here. Heard that from TWO different people. Not buying it. If they do take him, I want the props John McCargo is another option.
27. Panthers - LenDale White - TB - USC
Fits the system and what they do with Foster PERFECTLY.
28. Jaguars - Thomas Howard - LB - UTEP
They have liked him for the longest time. Replaces Akin Ayodele.
29. Jets - DeAngelo Williams - TB - Memphis
Top 10 talent IMHO. It'll be him or Mangold.
30. Indianapolis - Maurice Drew - TB - UCLA
Dr Z says that Dungy thinks Maroney is the best back in the draft, but he's gone. Apparently they like Drew more than Addai and Calhoun.
31. Seattle - Jason Allen - CB/FS - Tennessee
Everyone is asking where he'll go. Which teams has he cleared medically? They need a replacement for Dyson and a possible replacement for Hamlin if he doesn't come back as they lost Marquand Manuel.
32. Pittsburgh - Donte Whitner - DB - OSU
Makes great sense here, especially if Moss and White are gone. But I expect them to trade up. If they stay here, a wildcard is Danieal Manning. Nick Mangold is also a very strong possibility.
See What I mean?
Pointless.
Boom.
