I'm gonna do a 1 round Mock for the league and a 7 rounder for the Fins. As always I will give reasoning. Comments are as always welcomed and encouraged.
1 Detroit Lions- Matthew Stafford QB, Georgia A lot of people can, and will, argue that the Lions should draft a LT. However this is a very deep tackle draft, and new HC Jim Schwartz has come out and said "we have to find a replacement for Bobby Layne". Stafford had no way of living up to the lofty expectations set before his junior season, but he's a very good prospect. The Lions need a face to the franchise, and Staff can be it.
2 St. Louis Rams-Aaron Curry LB, Wake Forrest It has been reported that had we not drafted Jake Long last year, the Rams would have. While there are 3 elite tackles at the top of the draft, Curry is the perfect LB for Steve Spanoulo's defense. The Rams LB corp is lacking quality players, and good LB play is essential for Spags' defense. Depending on what the Rams do, the rest of the draft could be very interesting.
3 Kansas City Chiefs- Mark Sanchez QB,USC Although Tyler Thigpen played well this past season, very few view him as a franchise QB, Scott Pioli might be one of them. The Chiefs need a pass rush, and covet Aaron Curry, but with him off the board the Chiefs draft the franchise QB they haven't had in a long time.
4 Seattle Seahawks- Michael Crabtree WR, Texas Tech Injuries killed Mike Holgren's final season, but even if the entire team was healthy WR is a bit of a weak spot. Bobby Engram is not getting any younger, Deion Branch has battled injuries since coming to Seattle, and Nate Burleson is comming off an ACL tear. Crabtree is a must get right now.
5 Cleveland Browns- Malcolm Jenkins CB, Ohio State Probably the most disappointing team in the NFL. The Browns could easily go pass rush and get Aaron Maybin, Everette Brown, or Brian Orakpo, but something tells me they can't pass on a Buckeye. Although their two starters, Eric Wright and Brandon McDonald, are both very young and have potential, neither is viewed as a shut down CB.
6 Cincinnati Bengals- Eugene Monroe OT, Virginia Levi Jones is not what he once was, and Andrew Whitworth is a better guard than tackle. Some might ask why Andre Smith isn't the pick and it's simple; Monroe has no character issues. Better all around prospect than former teammates, Branden Albert and D'Brickshaw Ferguson
7 Oakland Raiders- Andre Smith OT, Alabama Al Davis will gladly take Smith after watching Mario Henderson,Kwame Harris, and Cornell Green have a year long contest to see who could get the most false starts called against them. Smith could be the number 1 overall pick based on talent alone, but he could also fall because of weight issues and character concerns
8 Jacksonville Jaguars- Jason Smith OT, Baylor This pick could easily be a WR, but Jason Smith is too good to pass up. After a solid rookie and sophomore season, Khalif Barnes has struggled a bit at LT and Tony Pashos as been a disappointment at RT. Time to get their first LT since Tony Boselli.
9 Green Bay Packers- Everette Brown OLB/DE, Florida State With the hiring of Dom Capers, the Packers need to start getting the personel for a 3-4. Brown will IMO shoot past Orakpo on the draft board, and a team like the Packers need somebody that can play right now instead of wait like they'd have to do with Aaron Maybin.
10 San Francisco 49ers- Brian Orakpo DE/OLB, Texas The 9ers still need a consistent outside pass rusher for their 3-4 defense. I'm not as big on Orakpo as a lot of people are because he had only one really productive season, but he's ready to play right now.
11 Buffalo Bills- Brandon Pettigrew TE, Oklahoma State This is a bit of best player available, and a little bit of need. Bills could also use a DE as Aaron Schobel's play has dropped off in recent years so DE could be an option as well.
12 Denver Broncos- Chris Wells RB, Ohio State A really really wanted to go Defense here, especially since Denver will be switching to a 3-4 with Mike Nolan as their new DC, but for a team that had to use 9 different RBs, taking a big bruiser like Beanie might be appealing. Plus, Josh McDaniels is an offensive guy. We'll see, but this pick I'm hesitant with.
13 Washington Redskins-Michael Oher OT/OG, Ole Miss Chris Samuels is coming off of a season filled with injuries, Jon Jensen doesn't have much left in the tank, and Stephon Heyer is not a starter in the NFL. Time to get an upgrade.
14 New Orleans Saints- James Laurinaitis LB, Ohio State Probably the first real surprise, bue of the LBs left on the board, he best fits the Saints defense. Little Animal could be a nice compliment to Vilma if he resigns, or he could take over at MLB.
15 Houston Texans- Aaron Maybin DE, Penn State Mario Williams has been great for Houston, but he needs protection. Maybin might not be ready right away, but he's more than likely to contribute as atleast a 3rd down pass rusher. If Dunta Robinson leaves via FA watch for CBs.
16 San Diego Chargers- Rey Maualuga LB, USC Matt Wilhelm and Stephen Cooper have not been the ILBs they expected they'd be when they were named the full time starters. Rey Rey is a local prospect that would go over well with the fans and team.
17 New York Jets - Tyson Jackson DE, LSU Perfect fir for a 3-4 DE. IMO an upgrade over Coleman. Jets could also go QB,RB,WR, or S, but Jackson is PBA.
18 Chicago Bears-Darius Heyward-Bey WR, Maryland Da Bears need a big WR to compliment an emerging Devin Hester. Brandon Llyod and Marty Booker have given Chicago some highlights this season, but have not been consistent
19 Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Jeremy Maclin WR, Missouri Joey Galloway is probably done, and despite a great season, you can never count on Antonio Bryant two years in a row. The team could use upgrades on defense, but will try and get a young WR to help a struggling passing game.
20 Detroit Lions (From Dallas) Vonte Davis CB, Illinois There's no way around it, Leigh Bodden and Brian Kelly were putrid this past season. Davis is a physical CB that the Lions could build their secondary around.
21 Philadelphia Eagles- Knowshon Moreno RB, Georgia Correll Buckhalter is getting older, and despite being a good compliment to Brian Westbrook, he can't carry the load when Westbrook gets hurt (which has happened quite a bit in recent years). The Iggles have in the past shown that they like to use 3 RBs, and Moreno would fit right in with the other two. Plus they can use the nickname BMW.
22 Minnesota Vikings- Josh Freeman QB, Kansas State Minny does not have a lot of need, but they MUST get a QB. Travaris Jackson had a nice stretch after Gus Ferrotte got hurt, but he is not the future. Freeman could/should be.
23 New England Patriots- Clint Sintim LB, Virginia Jerod Mayo had a great rookie season, but the Patsies still need some more young LBs. Sintim played under Al Groh at Virginia; a former co-worker of Billicheck while he worked under Tuna.
24 Atlanta Falcons- BJ Raji DT, Boston College Mike Smith had success in Jacksonville with 2 big DTs, and with Grady Jackson being 36, it's about time to find a replacement.
25 Miami Dolphins- DJ Moore CB, Vanderbilt Gonna go a different direction with this pick. Most would expect us to take a LB, which is a very good possibility, but IMO Moore might be too good to pass up. Andre Goodman and Will Allen are both decent CBs, but both are 30, and Goodman is a FA while Allen will be in the last year of his deal. Moore is a true Jr. coming off of back-to-back 6 int seasons (finishing his career with 13 INTs). While guys like Cushing Sintim,Raji and some of the hybrids will be targets, I think CB might be the most pressing need. I also wouldn't be shocked to see us pick a lesser known guy by the name of Larry English, but I'm not committing to that idea until after the combine.
26 Baltimore Ravens-Brian Cushing LB, USC Three of the four starters at LB are FAs. While the Ravens will try to resign all 3, they will more than likely lose atleast one of the 3; more than likely Bart Scott or Rey Lewis as they will throw everything out there to keep Suggs. Cushing's skill set will fit in perfectly with the Baltimore defense.
27 Indianapolis Colts-Peria Jerry DT, Ole Miss Perfect fit for the Colts defense. I toyed with the idea of the pick being Evander Hood or Sen'Derrick Marks (cause I could see the Colts going after either), Jerry is the BPA. The Colts need help against the run as we saw against SD.
28 Philadelphia Eagles (From Carolina)- Ebben Britton OT, Arizona Tra Thomas and Jon Runyan are starting to show their age, and replacements are needed. Even if it was only one game, Winston Justice probably lost all hope of being a starter for Philly after giving up 6 sacks to Osi last season. Britton probably would be a top 10 pick in 2010, but falls victim to a deep tackle class.
29 New York Giants-Sen'Derrick Marks DT, Auburn The Giants don't have a lot of weaknesses, but they could use depth at DT. Marks is a very intriguing prospect that could help them off the bench.
30 Tennessee Titans- Percy Harvin WR, Florida Despite a solid playoff game from Justin Gage, the Titans really don't have any WRs that scare anybody. Of course, this means for the 3rd straight year they'll take somebody no one even considered a possibility, but Harvin makes sense.
31 Arizona Cardinals- LeSean McCoy RB, Pittsburgh Edge is probably gone after this season, and Hightower played better as a compliment then being the main back (as the main back he had the worst YPC average in the NFL). McCoy brings that physical running style to Arizona that Wisenhunt and Grimm have been dying to implement.
32 Pittsburgh Steelers-Max Unger C/OG/OT, Oregon Why Unger over Alex Mack? Despite the Steeler struggles, Justin Hartwig has done a solid job at center all season. Chris Kemeoutu, Marvel Smith, and Max Starks (2 OTs and a guard) are all FAs. Starks might be resigned after a decent playoffs, and even if he and Smith are gone the team is still high on Trai Essex and Tony Hills. The guard play has been bad even with Kendall Simmons hurt all year, and Willie Colon could easily be replaced. Unger has played very well at guard down in Mobile, and spent his first two years with the Ducks playing LT. Mack is a strict C, which Pitt doesn't need a huge upgrade at.
Rest of the Miami Draft
2a.Louis Delmas S, Western Michigan Both Bell and Hill are FAs and while we'll probably try to resign both, IMO we could use an upgrade over Hill (I do think Ethan Kilmer makes the team but he's a ST ace). Delmas is on the short side at 5'11, but he's probably the most physical safety in the draft and is a ballhawk.
2b.Paul Kruger DE/OLB, Utah Very active redshirt sophomore that has good size at 6'5 265 and decent speed running a 4.7 40. A Candidate for the 3-4 we really haven't talked about, and he could be a steal. Kruger was all over the field when Utah upseat Alabama. I understand that we signed Cam Wake, but remember this, outside of Joey Porter, we got almost no pass rush from our OLBs. We need more than just a CFL stud.
3.Terrance Taylor DT, Michigan One of the lone bright spots on a bad Michigan team. If we don't get one of the BC Boys, I'd set my sights on Taylor. He's a compact NT that most people like out of their NTs and is a former wrestler so he understands leverage.
4.Scott McKillop ILB, Pittsburgh This is just my opinion after watching McKillop the last couple years; the 6'2 240 lb version of Zach Thomas. McKillop is not a great athlete, and played on some poor teams (both of which are reasons why he is not a top prospect), but like Zach he has a high football IQ and is a team leader. His intangibles alone make me believe he could be a mid round steal.
5.Gerald Cadogan OT, PSU Very athletic OT that I believe is only a 2 year starter. Drafted for depth, but could develop into a gem.
7a.Jeff Schweiger DE, San Jose State The former USC Trojan has similar size to Kruger (6'5 276), but is better suited to be a DE in the 3-4
7b.Tony Flammetta FB, Syracuse Potential replacement for Losaka Polite if he leaves this offseason, and if he doesn't it's competition. He's also being looked at as an H-Back.
7c.Robert Francois LB, Boston College Not as good as his teammates, but as intriguing size (6'2, 253) and speed (4.75 40).
1 Detroit Lions- Matthew Stafford QB, Georgia A lot of people can, and will, argue that the Lions should draft a LT. However this is a very deep tackle draft, and new HC Jim Schwartz has come out and said "we have to find a replacement for Bobby Layne". Stafford had no way of living up to the lofty expectations set before his junior season, but he's a very good prospect. The Lions need a face to the franchise, and Staff can be it.
2 St. Louis Rams-Aaron Curry LB, Wake Forrest It has been reported that had we not drafted Jake Long last year, the Rams would have. While there are 3 elite tackles at the top of the draft, Curry is the perfect LB for Steve Spanoulo's defense. The Rams LB corp is lacking quality players, and good LB play is essential for Spags' defense. Depending on what the Rams do, the rest of the draft could be very interesting.
3 Kansas City Chiefs- Mark Sanchez QB,USC Although Tyler Thigpen played well this past season, very few view him as a franchise QB, Scott Pioli might be one of them. The Chiefs need a pass rush, and covet Aaron Curry, but with him off the board the Chiefs draft the franchise QB they haven't had in a long time.
4 Seattle Seahawks- Michael Crabtree WR, Texas Tech Injuries killed Mike Holgren's final season, but even if the entire team was healthy WR is a bit of a weak spot. Bobby Engram is not getting any younger, Deion Branch has battled injuries since coming to Seattle, and Nate Burleson is comming off an ACL tear. Crabtree is a must get right now.
5 Cleveland Browns- Malcolm Jenkins CB, Ohio State Probably the most disappointing team in the NFL. The Browns could easily go pass rush and get Aaron Maybin, Everette Brown, or Brian Orakpo, but something tells me they can't pass on a Buckeye. Although their two starters, Eric Wright and Brandon McDonald, are both very young and have potential, neither is viewed as a shut down CB.
6 Cincinnati Bengals- Eugene Monroe OT, Virginia Levi Jones is not what he once was, and Andrew Whitworth is a better guard than tackle. Some might ask why Andre Smith isn't the pick and it's simple; Monroe has no character issues. Better all around prospect than former teammates, Branden Albert and D'Brickshaw Ferguson
7 Oakland Raiders- Andre Smith OT, Alabama Al Davis will gladly take Smith after watching Mario Henderson,Kwame Harris, and Cornell Green have a year long contest to see who could get the most false starts called against them. Smith could be the number 1 overall pick based on talent alone, but he could also fall because of weight issues and character concerns
8 Jacksonville Jaguars- Jason Smith OT, Baylor This pick could easily be a WR, but Jason Smith is too good to pass up. After a solid rookie and sophomore season, Khalif Barnes has struggled a bit at LT and Tony Pashos as been a disappointment at RT. Time to get their first LT since Tony Boselli.
9 Green Bay Packers- Everette Brown OLB/DE, Florida State With the hiring of Dom Capers, the Packers need to start getting the personel for a 3-4. Brown will IMO shoot past Orakpo on the draft board, and a team like the Packers need somebody that can play right now instead of wait like they'd have to do with Aaron Maybin.
10 San Francisco 49ers- Brian Orakpo DE/OLB, Texas The 9ers still need a consistent outside pass rusher for their 3-4 defense. I'm not as big on Orakpo as a lot of people are because he had only one really productive season, but he's ready to play right now.
11 Buffalo Bills- Brandon Pettigrew TE, Oklahoma State This is a bit of best player available, and a little bit of need. Bills could also use a DE as Aaron Schobel's play has dropped off in recent years so DE could be an option as well.
12 Denver Broncos- Chris Wells RB, Ohio State A really really wanted to go Defense here, especially since Denver will be switching to a 3-4 with Mike Nolan as their new DC, but for a team that had to use 9 different RBs, taking a big bruiser like Beanie might be appealing. Plus, Josh McDaniels is an offensive guy. We'll see, but this pick I'm hesitant with.
13 Washington Redskins-Michael Oher OT/OG, Ole Miss Chris Samuels is coming off of a season filled with injuries, Jon Jensen doesn't have much left in the tank, and Stephon Heyer is not a starter in the NFL. Time to get an upgrade.
14 New Orleans Saints- James Laurinaitis LB, Ohio State Probably the first real surprise, bue of the LBs left on the board, he best fits the Saints defense. Little Animal could be a nice compliment to Vilma if he resigns, or he could take over at MLB.
15 Houston Texans- Aaron Maybin DE, Penn State Mario Williams has been great for Houston, but he needs protection. Maybin might not be ready right away, but he's more than likely to contribute as atleast a 3rd down pass rusher. If Dunta Robinson leaves via FA watch for CBs.
16 San Diego Chargers- Rey Maualuga LB, USC Matt Wilhelm and Stephen Cooper have not been the ILBs they expected they'd be when they were named the full time starters. Rey Rey is a local prospect that would go over well with the fans and team.
17 New York Jets - Tyson Jackson DE, LSU Perfect fir for a 3-4 DE. IMO an upgrade over Coleman. Jets could also go QB,RB,WR, or S, but Jackson is PBA.
18 Chicago Bears-Darius Heyward-Bey WR, Maryland Da Bears need a big WR to compliment an emerging Devin Hester. Brandon Llyod and Marty Booker have given Chicago some highlights this season, but have not been consistent
19 Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Jeremy Maclin WR, Missouri Joey Galloway is probably done, and despite a great season, you can never count on Antonio Bryant two years in a row. The team could use upgrades on defense, but will try and get a young WR to help a struggling passing game.
20 Detroit Lions (From Dallas) Vonte Davis CB, Illinois There's no way around it, Leigh Bodden and Brian Kelly were putrid this past season. Davis is a physical CB that the Lions could build their secondary around.
21 Philadelphia Eagles- Knowshon Moreno RB, Georgia Correll Buckhalter is getting older, and despite being a good compliment to Brian Westbrook, he can't carry the load when Westbrook gets hurt (which has happened quite a bit in recent years). The Iggles have in the past shown that they like to use 3 RBs, and Moreno would fit right in with the other two. Plus they can use the nickname BMW.
22 Minnesota Vikings- Josh Freeman QB, Kansas State Minny does not have a lot of need, but they MUST get a QB. Travaris Jackson had a nice stretch after Gus Ferrotte got hurt, but he is not the future. Freeman could/should be.
23 New England Patriots- Clint Sintim LB, Virginia Jerod Mayo had a great rookie season, but the Patsies still need some more young LBs. Sintim played under Al Groh at Virginia; a former co-worker of Billicheck while he worked under Tuna.
24 Atlanta Falcons- BJ Raji DT, Boston College Mike Smith had success in Jacksonville with 2 big DTs, and with Grady Jackson being 36, it's about time to find a replacement.
25 Miami Dolphins- DJ Moore CB, Vanderbilt Gonna go a different direction with this pick. Most would expect us to take a LB, which is a very good possibility, but IMO Moore might be too good to pass up. Andre Goodman and Will Allen are both decent CBs, but both are 30, and Goodman is a FA while Allen will be in the last year of his deal. Moore is a true Jr. coming off of back-to-back 6 int seasons (finishing his career with 13 INTs). While guys like Cushing Sintim,Raji and some of the hybrids will be targets, I think CB might be the most pressing need. I also wouldn't be shocked to see us pick a lesser known guy by the name of Larry English, but I'm not committing to that idea until after the combine.
26 Baltimore Ravens-Brian Cushing LB, USC Three of the four starters at LB are FAs. While the Ravens will try to resign all 3, they will more than likely lose atleast one of the 3; more than likely Bart Scott or Rey Lewis as they will throw everything out there to keep Suggs. Cushing's skill set will fit in perfectly with the Baltimore defense.
27 Indianapolis Colts-Peria Jerry DT, Ole Miss Perfect fit for the Colts defense. I toyed with the idea of the pick being Evander Hood or Sen'Derrick Marks (cause I could see the Colts going after either), Jerry is the BPA. The Colts need help against the run as we saw against SD.
28 Philadelphia Eagles (From Carolina)- Ebben Britton OT, Arizona Tra Thomas and Jon Runyan are starting to show their age, and replacements are needed. Even if it was only one game, Winston Justice probably lost all hope of being a starter for Philly after giving up 6 sacks to Osi last season. Britton probably would be a top 10 pick in 2010, but falls victim to a deep tackle class.
29 New York Giants-Sen'Derrick Marks DT, Auburn The Giants don't have a lot of weaknesses, but they could use depth at DT. Marks is a very intriguing prospect that could help them off the bench.
30 Tennessee Titans- Percy Harvin WR, Florida Despite a solid playoff game from Justin Gage, the Titans really don't have any WRs that scare anybody. Of course, this means for the 3rd straight year they'll take somebody no one even considered a possibility, but Harvin makes sense.
31 Arizona Cardinals- LeSean McCoy RB, Pittsburgh Edge is probably gone after this season, and Hightower played better as a compliment then being the main back (as the main back he had the worst YPC average in the NFL). McCoy brings that physical running style to Arizona that Wisenhunt and Grimm have been dying to implement.
32 Pittsburgh Steelers-Max Unger C/OG/OT, Oregon Why Unger over Alex Mack? Despite the Steeler struggles, Justin Hartwig has done a solid job at center all season. Chris Kemeoutu, Marvel Smith, and Max Starks (2 OTs and a guard) are all FAs. Starks might be resigned after a decent playoffs, and even if he and Smith are gone the team is still high on Trai Essex and Tony Hills. The guard play has been bad even with Kendall Simmons hurt all year, and Willie Colon could easily be replaced. Unger has played very well at guard down in Mobile, and spent his first two years with the Ducks playing LT. Mack is a strict C, which Pitt doesn't need a huge upgrade at.
Rest of the Miami Draft
2a.Louis Delmas S, Western Michigan Both Bell and Hill are FAs and while we'll probably try to resign both, IMO we could use an upgrade over Hill (I do think Ethan Kilmer makes the team but he's a ST ace). Delmas is on the short side at 5'11, but he's probably the most physical safety in the draft and is a ballhawk.
2b.Paul Kruger DE/OLB, Utah Very active redshirt sophomore that has good size at 6'5 265 and decent speed running a 4.7 40. A Candidate for the 3-4 we really haven't talked about, and he could be a steal. Kruger was all over the field when Utah upseat Alabama. I understand that we signed Cam Wake, but remember this, outside of Joey Porter, we got almost no pass rush from our OLBs. We need more than just a CFL stud.
3.Terrance Taylor DT, Michigan One of the lone bright spots on a bad Michigan team. If we don't get one of the BC Boys, I'd set my sights on Taylor. He's a compact NT that most people like out of their NTs and is a former wrestler so he understands leverage.
4.Scott McKillop ILB, Pittsburgh This is just my opinion after watching McKillop the last couple years; the 6'2 240 lb version of Zach Thomas. McKillop is not a great athlete, and played on some poor teams (both of which are reasons why he is not a top prospect), but like Zach he has a high football IQ and is a team leader. His intangibles alone make me believe he could be a mid round steal.
5.Gerald Cadogan OT, PSU Very athletic OT that I believe is only a 2 year starter. Drafted for depth, but could develop into a gem.
7a.Jeff Schweiger DE, San Jose State The former USC Trojan has similar size to Kruger (6'5 276), but is better suited to be a DE in the 3-4
7b.Tony Flammetta FB, Syracuse Potential replacement for Losaka Polite if he leaves this offseason, and if he doesn't it's competition. He's also being looked at as an H-Back.
7c.Robert Francois LB, Boston College Not as good as his teammates, but as intriguing size (6'2, 253) and speed (4.75 40).
