Jimmy James
You sit on a throne of lies!
JJ’s Mock Draft 2.0
Round 1
1. Houston Texans – Reggie Bush, RB, USC
I don't agree with this pick. At all. The thing is that I'm not running the Texans. Reggie Bush is a very nice player, but the problem with the Texans has nothing to do with a lack of a credible rushing game. I don't think they have a chance of trading this pick, so they're going to take the consensus #1 guy.
2. New Orleans Saints – Mario Williams, DE, NC State
This pick continues the trend the Texans established with the first pick because the Saints already have two decent defensive ends. Neither one of them has the potential for greatness that Williams has, though. The Saints would love to trade down with the Jets and may have even moved an offensive lineman to improve their chances to do so. In the end, I think the Jets will smell the bluff coming and will wait patiently for their man at #4.
3. Tennessee Titans – Matt Leinart, QB, USC
The Titans are beside themselves when they find Leinart on the board here.
4. New York Jets – D’Brickashaw Ferguson, OT, UVA
The Jets have a lot of needs, but this actually works for them in the draft. They know that they can get somebody that will help them no matter whether Williams or Ferguson drops.
5. Green Bay Packers – A.J. Hawk, LB, Ohio State
The Packers are targeting Hawk and are quite pleased when he is there for them with this pick. He'll almost instantly improve a bad Packers D.
6. San Francisco 49er’s – Michael Huff, CB, Texas
The Niners need so much help that they could really go in just about any direction. They'll choose Huff to stabilize their secondary and attempt to go for some help on offense later.
7. Oakland Raiders – Vince Young, QB, Texas
There are really only three viable tutors for Vince -- McNair, Brooks, and Jay Fiedler. All of them are aging QBs who could potentially start for at least the early part of a season running an offense that would maximize Vince's mobility once he takes over. Oakland has Brooks and really needs a QB in order to realize the investment they have made on players like Jordan, Porter, and Moss. Most teams would take Cutler here instead, but Al has always been a maverick.
8. Buffalo Bills – Haloti Ngata, DT, Oregon
Many think Bunkley has overtaken Ngata. The clue phone on that one won't ring in Buffalo until probably three months after the draft. That's just how the Bills draft. There is no other way to explain picks like McGahee and Losman. Honestly, I think this might serve them well in this instance. I think Ngata is getting a bum rap and don't really buy the Bunkley hype.
9. Detroit Lions – Winston Justice, OT, USC
The Lions would rather have fixed their issues on defense with LB or S in this slot, but that just isn't how the draft falls for them. They'd love to trade down, but they'll settle for bolstering their OL.
10. St. Louis Rams (from Arizona Cardinals) – Vernon Davis, TE, Maryland
Denny Green does not use a TE in his offense and would simply waste Davis. At the same time, he is not going to let this guy slide past him because he's just that good. He works the phones and takes St. Louis for a 4th rounder to swap picks. Davis will be a real force in the Ram offense.
11. Arizona Cardinals (from St. Louis Rams) – Ernie Sims, OLB, FSU
The Cardinals are tempted to take Cutler here, but Green goes defense in the end. The other LBs in the Cardinal defense have good size, so a slightly undersized guy like Sims will be okay for them. The best way for the Cards to win games doesn't come from scoring more points with that offense of theirs -- it comes from fixing the defense.
12. Cleveland Browns – Kamerion Wimbley, LB, FSU
The Browns need help with their pass rush, and Wimbley may be just what the doctor ordered as a pass rushing LB.
13. Minnesota Vikings (from Baltimore Ravens) – Jay Cutler, QB, Vanderbilt
The Ravens want a lineman or a defensive back in the first round, but this is a bit early for that type of player. They pick up the 3rd round pick the Vikings got from Seattle (#95) to trade back a bit. Cutler gives the Vikings a player to learn behind Brad Johnson for a year.
14. Philadelphia Eagles – Brodrick Bunkley, DT, FSU
The Eagles weren't their old selves in the trenches last year, and it was a big part of the reason they slid from where they had been at the past several years. Bunkley will definitely help them correct that.
15. Denver Broncos (From Atlanta) – Chad Jackson, WR, Florida
He's the guy they traded here for. I strongly disagree with picking Jackson ahead of Holmes, but I don't run the Broncos any more than I run the Texans.
16. Miami Dolphins – Bobby Carpenter, LB, Ohio State
At Fan Appreciation Day yesterday, Nick Saban did a short Q&A with the fans. He was actually a lot more talkative than he ever is with the press, and he represented that Miami is most interested in upgrading the LB and WR situations. In particular, it appears that Saban is focused on increasing the effectiveness of Jason Taylor by adding a pass rusher on the opposite side of the field to limit teams shifting to Taylor' side. LaVar Arrington would be a solution, but he appears to want too much money. The best option for a pass rushing LB in the draft at this point is Bobby Carpenter.
17. Baltimore Ravens (from Minnesota Vikings) – Jimmy Williams, S, VPI
A lot of talk recently has focused on Williams sliding way down the board. It may happen, but the Ravens are his best chance of being taken in the teens in a scenario just like this one. He should fill in immediately right beside Ed Reed, and he can be used as a CB in a pinch in case the team encounters trouble there due to injury.
18. Dallas Cowboys – Jason Allen, S, Tennessee
Allen has been flying up the boards as Williams has been falling. I think they meet in back to back picks here. As with the Williams pick above, this pairs up a first rounder with a big name veteran safety.
19. San Diego Chargers – Santonio Holmes, WR, Ohio State
The Chargers were set to take an offensive lineman here until Holmes slips to them. He will compliment McCardell much better than Eric Parker did and will allow Parker to move into a third receiver role. Eventually, Holmes will take over and give the Chargers the credible receiving option at WR they need.
20. Kansas City – Donte Whitner, S, Ohio State
Kansas City would probably prefer help up front, but yet another CB/S tweener is the better value here and will definitely provide much needed help for Pat Surtain in this Chiefs defensive backfield.
21. New England Patriots – Tye Hill, CB, Clemson
New England clearly needs secondary help to get back where they were. Hill is raw and will need coaching, but you can't ignore ths speed he brings to the game.
22. Denver Broncos (From Wash) – DeAngelo Williams, RB, Memphis
The DL will just have to wait with this sort of value on the board at RB. For all of the short term success at RB the team has had the past several years, they miss having consistency there. Williams will be a rock for the Broncos.
23. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Marcus McNeill, OT, Auburn
The Bucs need help on the OL, and the best way for them to improve will be to reunite McNeill with his former Tiger teammate Carnell Williams.
24. Cincinnati Bengals – Leonard Pope, TE, Georgia
As much as Marv would love to go defense with this pick, Pope is the final element of a devastating offense. The rest of the draft can be used on D.
25. New York Giants – Chad Greenway, LB, Iowa
They're a lock to pick a LB here, and they're thrilled to get Greenway this late.
26. Chicago Bears – Antonio Cromartie, CB, FSU
If not for the knee injury, he would have likely been off the board much earlier. CB is definitely a priority for this Bears team this draft. They would probably prefer a WR in the first, but nobody is worth this pick.
27. Carolina Panthers – Lendale White, RB, USC
RB isn't as pressing a need for them as it is for say the Colts, but they are awfully thin at the position and could use a bruiser like White to take the burden off of Foster. A lot has been made of White dropping, but physical skills win out over character issues this late in the first.
28. Jacksonville Jaguars – Thomas Howard, LB, UTEP
This could change if they get Arrington, but the only other really obvious direction to go in would be OG. It's possible they could go with Howard and Arrington in one offseason.
29. New York Jets (from Denver) – Laurence Maroney, RB, Minnesota
Maroney isn't the ideal RB for them, but they feel the need to do something about the position and know he won't last past the Colts for them to pick up in the second if they pass on him.
30. Indianapolis Colts – Gabe Watson, DT, Michigan
The Colts are considered to be intensely interested in Maroney, but Watson isn't a bad consolation prize for a team in need of beef in the trenches. This could motivate the Colts to look into trading for Williams from the Dolphins or Davis from the Texans some time after the draft.
31. Seattle Seahawks – Mathias Kiwanuka, DE, Boston College
He is just what the doctor ordered for this Seahawks team. If he weren't here, I'd project them to go after a guard to replace Hutchinson with. They might be able to handle that in the 2nd round, though.
32. Pittsburgh Steelers – Daniel Bullocks, S, Nebraska
The Steelers need a S more than they need a WR, so they narrowly choose Bullocks over Moss.
Round 1
1. Houston Texans – Reggie Bush, RB, USC
I don't agree with this pick. At all. The thing is that I'm not running the Texans. Reggie Bush is a very nice player, but the problem with the Texans has nothing to do with a lack of a credible rushing game. I don't think they have a chance of trading this pick, so they're going to take the consensus #1 guy.
2. New Orleans Saints – Mario Williams, DE, NC State
This pick continues the trend the Texans established with the first pick because the Saints already have two decent defensive ends. Neither one of them has the potential for greatness that Williams has, though. The Saints would love to trade down with the Jets and may have even moved an offensive lineman to improve their chances to do so. In the end, I think the Jets will smell the bluff coming and will wait patiently for their man at #4.
3. Tennessee Titans – Matt Leinart, QB, USC
The Titans are beside themselves when they find Leinart on the board here.
4. New York Jets – D’Brickashaw Ferguson, OT, UVA
The Jets have a lot of needs, but this actually works for them in the draft. They know that they can get somebody that will help them no matter whether Williams or Ferguson drops.
5. Green Bay Packers – A.J. Hawk, LB, Ohio State
The Packers are targeting Hawk and are quite pleased when he is there for them with this pick. He'll almost instantly improve a bad Packers D.
6. San Francisco 49er’s – Michael Huff, CB, Texas
The Niners need so much help that they could really go in just about any direction. They'll choose Huff to stabilize their secondary and attempt to go for some help on offense later.
7. Oakland Raiders – Vince Young, QB, Texas
There are really only three viable tutors for Vince -- McNair, Brooks, and Jay Fiedler. All of them are aging QBs who could potentially start for at least the early part of a season running an offense that would maximize Vince's mobility once he takes over. Oakland has Brooks and really needs a QB in order to realize the investment they have made on players like Jordan, Porter, and Moss. Most teams would take Cutler here instead, but Al has always been a maverick.
8. Buffalo Bills – Haloti Ngata, DT, Oregon
Many think Bunkley has overtaken Ngata. The clue phone on that one won't ring in Buffalo until probably three months after the draft. That's just how the Bills draft. There is no other way to explain picks like McGahee and Losman. Honestly, I think this might serve them well in this instance. I think Ngata is getting a bum rap and don't really buy the Bunkley hype.
9. Detroit Lions – Winston Justice, OT, USC
The Lions would rather have fixed their issues on defense with LB or S in this slot, but that just isn't how the draft falls for them. They'd love to trade down, but they'll settle for bolstering their OL.
10. St. Louis Rams (from Arizona Cardinals) – Vernon Davis, TE, Maryland
Denny Green does not use a TE in his offense and would simply waste Davis. At the same time, he is not going to let this guy slide past him because he's just that good. He works the phones and takes St. Louis for a 4th rounder to swap picks. Davis will be a real force in the Ram offense.
11. Arizona Cardinals (from St. Louis Rams) – Ernie Sims, OLB, FSU
The Cardinals are tempted to take Cutler here, but Green goes defense in the end. The other LBs in the Cardinal defense have good size, so a slightly undersized guy like Sims will be okay for them. The best way for the Cards to win games doesn't come from scoring more points with that offense of theirs -- it comes from fixing the defense.
12. Cleveland Browns – Kamerion Wimbley, LB, FSU
The Browns need help with their pass rush, and Wimbley may be just what the doctor ordered as a pass rushing LB.
13. Minnesota Vikings (from Baltimore Ravens) – Jay Cutler, QB, Vanderbilt
The Ravens want a lineman or a defensive back in the first round, but this is a bit early for that type of player. They pick up the 3rd round pick the Vikings got from Seattle (#95) to trade back a bit. Cutler gives the Vikings a player to learn behind Brad Johnson for a year.
14. Philadelphia Eagles – Brodrick Bunkley, DT, FSU
The Eagles weren't their old selves in the trenches last year, and it was a big part of the reason they slid from where they had been at the past several years. Bunkley will definitely help them correct that.
15. Denver Broncos (From Atlanta) – Chad Jackson, WR, Florida
He's the guy they traded here for. I strongly disagree with picking Jackson ahead of Holmes, but I don't run the Broncos any more than I run the Texans.
16. Miami Dolphins – Bobby Carpenter, LB, Ohio State
At Fan Appreciation Day yesterday, Nick Saban did a short Q&A with the fans. He was actually a lot more talkative than he ever is with the press, and he represented that Miami is most interested in upgrading the LB and WR situations. In particular, it appears that Saban is focused on increasing the effectiveness of Jason Taylor by adding a pass rusher on the opposite side of the field to limit teams shifting to Taylor' side. LaVar Arrington would be a solution, but he appears to want too much money. The best option for a pass rushing LB in the draft at this point is Bobby Carpenter.
17. Baltimore Ravens (from Minnesota Vikings) – Jimmy Williams, S, VPI
A lot of talk recently has focused on Williams sliding way down the board. It may happen, but the Ravens are his best chance of being taken in the teens in a scenario just like this one. He should fill in immediately right beside Ed Reed, and he can be used as a CB in a pinch in case the team encounters trouble there due to injury.
18. Dallas Cowboys – Jason Allen, S, Tennessee
Allen has been flying up the boards as Williams has been falling. I think they meet in back to back picks here. As with the Williams pick above, this pairs up a first rounder with a big name veteran safety.
19. San Diego Chargers – Santonio Holmes, WR, Ohio State
The Chargers were set to take an offensive lineman here until Holmes slips to them. He will compliment McCardell much better than Eric Parker did and will allow Parker to move into a third receiver role. Eventually, Holmes will take over and give the Chargers the credible receiving option at WR they need.
20. Kansas City – Donte Whitner, S, Ohio State
Kansas City would probably prefer help up front, but yet another CB/S tweener is the better value here and will definitely provide much needed help for Pat Surtain in this Chiefs defensive backfield.
21. New England Patriots – Tye Hill, CB, Clemson
New England clearly needs secondary help to get back where they were. Hill is raw and will need coaching, but you can't ignore ths speed he brings to the game.
22. Denver Broncos (From Wash) – DeAngelo Williams, RB, Memphis
The DL will just have to wait with this sort of value on the board at RB. For all of the short term success at RB the team has had the past several years, they miss having consistency there. Williams will be a rock for the Broncos.
23. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Marcus McNeill, OT, Auburn
The Bucs need help on the OL, and the best way for them to improve will be to reunite McNeill with his former Tiger teammate Carnell Williams.
24. Cincinnati Bengals – Leonard Pope, TE, Georgia
As much as Marv would love to go defense with this pick, Pope is the final element of a devastating offense. The rest of the draft can be used on D.
25. New York Giants – Chad Greenway, LB, Iowa
They're a lock to pick a LB here, and they're thrilled to get Greenway this late.
26. Chicago Bears – Antonio Cromartie, CB, FSU
If not for the knee injury, he would have likely been off the board much earlier. CB is definitely a priority for this Bears team this draft. They would probably prefer a WR in the first, but nobody is worth this pick.
27. Carolina Panthers – Lendale White, RB, USC
RB isn't as pressing a need for them as it is for say the Colts, but they are awfully thin at the position and could use a bruiser like White to take the burden off of Foster. A lot has been made of White dropping, but physical skills win out over character issues this late in the first.
28. Jacksonville Jaguars – Thomas Howard, LB, UTEP
This could change if they get Arrington, but the only other really obvious direction to go in would be OG. It's possible they could go with Howard and Arrington in one offseason.
29. New York Jets (from Denver) – Laurence Maroney, RB, Minnesota
Maroney isn't the ideal RB for them, but they feel the need to do something about the position and know he won't last past the Colts for them to pick up in the second if they pass on him.
30. Indianapolis Colts – Gabe Watson, DT, Michigan
The Colts are considered to be intensely interested in Maroney, but Watson isn't a bad consolation prize for a team in need of beef in the trenches. This could motivate the Colts to look into trading for Williams from the Dolphins or Davis from the Texans some time after the draft.
31. Seattle Seahawks – Mathias Kiwanuka, DE, Boston College
He is just what the doctor ordered for this Seahawks team. If he weren't here, I'd project them to go after a guard to replace Hutchinson with. They might be able to handle that in the 2nd round, though.
32. Pittsburgh Steelers – Daniel Bullocks, S, Nebraska
The Steelers need a S more than they need a WR, so they narrowly choose Bullocks over Moss.
