Flame away. 1. Detroit Lions - Jason Smith - LT - Baylor I know many feel that Matthew Stafford should and possibly will be the pick here but look at it this way. Jim Schwartz has stated that the two most important things to him are running the ball and stopping it. Now think about this; Schwartz former team, the Tennessee Titans, won last year with a solid run game and stopping the run. They had a veteran QB who was asked to manage games for them and not lose them so to speak. Now, with Jeff Backus likely moving to left guard, there’s a vacant spot at left tackle. The Lions run game last year was 30th in the league and they had a porous offensive line. The Lions said that they aren’t picking based on need but whose the best player. Jason Smith is the first or second best player in this draft class in my opinion, only behind or in front of Aaron Curry of Wake Forest. You usually don’t take middle linebackers with the first overall selection so that leaves you with Jason Smith of Baylor. 2. St. Louis Rams - Eugene Monroe - LT - Virginia Last year, it was said that if the Dolphins passed on Jake Long at number one, the Rams would select him at number two. At that time, there was a different coach running the show and now it’s a new one. However, things haven’t changed. With the release of former perennial Pro Bowler Orlando Pace, the Rams have a large hole at left tackle. Eugene Monroe, whose not as raw as Smith but has a lower upside, is a very good OT in his own right. He has good feet and uses his hands well. I’d like to see him show a mean streak and improve his awareness as he seems to miss blitzing defenders off the edge but this is a need pick and a pick that the Rams should make. If they go in a different direction, I wouldn’t count out Matthew Stafford or Brian Orakpo. 3. Kansas City Chiefs - Aaron Curry - OLB - Wake Forest This is a pick that I could see moved. If there’s one player in this draft that I know the Chiefs covet, its Cincinnati’s Connor Barwin. However, this is too early for him and I could see them sliding down to possibly eighteen and letting Denver take the top Quarterback in the class. However, despite that, I’m not sure that’s one thing that will happen and for now, I’ll stick to KC keeping their draft choice and selecting a very good player in Aaron Curry of Wake Forest. Curry is likely to be used all over the place in Kansas City’s hybrid 3-4/4-3 scheme that I see them running this upcoming season. They lack all the pieces to a 3-4 that they will eventually switch to full time so they have to put their players in position to succeed. Aaron Curry is likely to be an inside linebacker when they play in a 3-4 as they will look for him to bring a Jerod Mayo-like impact to the team. When in a 4-3 alignment, I could see Curry manning the middle as well as he did that in nickel situations at Wake Forest or moving to strong-side linebacker. 4. Seattle Seahawks - Mark Sanchez - QB - USC The Seahawks have a few options here such as Matthew Stafford, Mark Sanchez and BJ Raji. The Seahawks traded for former Lion Cory Redding but he’s reportedly shedding weight to play defensive end. The Seahawks could take Raji here but with the emphasis they place on character concerns, its unlikely in my opinion, which leaves Matthew Stafford and USC’s Mark Sanchez. While Stafford is higher rated by some, he doesn’t fit Seattle’s offense better than Sanchez and that’s what it comes down to for me here. Sanchez has very good short accuracy which is a key component to success in the West Coast offense and he has mobility. Watching Seattle over the years, I noticed that Matt Hasselback does a lot of rolling out of the pocket and Sanchez does that very well. He can roll out left or right and make the throw down field. 5. Cleveland Browns - Brian Orakpo - DE - Texas As Jets head coach, Eric Mangini selected Vernon Gholston sixth overall. While Gholston didnt' have an impact in his rookie year, he had potential that Mangini liked a lot and potential that new head coach Rex Ryan sees. The duo of Kolkinis and Mangini will likely go defense here as they struggled to provide a pass rush last season. Kamerion Wimbley didn't do much once again, Alex Hall flased potential and Willie McGinest is old now. Orakpo is likely to go high based off the potential he has. He could be a disruptive force or he could be Vernon Gholston 2.0 as he's stiff changing directions and must further develop his game. Nevertheless, I like Mangini taking Orkapo here. 6. Cincinnati Bengals - Andre Smith - OT - Alabama I've had Andre Smith penciled in at Cincinnati for a while now. Cincinnati has constantly drafted troublesome players and while many feel that Andre Smith is another one, I disagree with them. The combine issue, in which Andre Smith unexpectedly left, was a mistake. However, it has been reported that his agent had a lot to do with Smith's departure, as Smith is free to leave the combine but the players agent has to notify officials that his client will be leaving. WIth that in the past, Andre Smith's talents on the field have not declined. He was considered a top five overall selection prior to the combine and some considered him a potential number one pick. He's a mauling run blocker and will help a poor run offense. Levi Jones has battled injuries two of the last three years and while I think that Anthony Collins could be a good fit on the right side, my gut tells me that Cincinnati won't pass up Smith here. 7. Oakland Raiders - Michael Crabtree - WR - Texas Tech The Raiders could go with BJ Raji here to address their rush defense woes or they could go OT here to address there porous offensive line. However, the other glaring hole they have is wide receiver and with Higgins being the leading WR with 22 receptions last year, they have to address this need early. Crabtree is the best WR pick here and while he is very raw, he's got the potential to be a good wide receiver and gives Jamarcus Russell a big target to throw to, assuming he keeps the job away from Jeff Garcia. 8. Jacksonville Jaguars - Jeremy Maclin - WR - Missouri With Matt Jones off the team now, Reggie Williams struggling to be a consistent wideout and Jerry Porter being a FA bust, the Jaguars have a big hole at WR and they must address it. Maclin is a threat to take it to the house at any time and stretches the field well, something the Jaguars need. 9. Green Bay Packers - B.J. Raji - DT - Boston College I originally planned on having Tyson Jackson going here to GB because he fits a great need but I didn't expect Raji to be here when I did started this. The Packers always draft best player available and Raji is just that. A good value pick here, Raji fits a very important need in the Packers new 3-4 alignment. Ryan Pickett, the teams current NT, has a lot of mileage and is not the best of fits at NT while the wide-bodied Raji fits the position well. He's got the strength to hold up blocks but he'll have to learn to keep his motor running at all times. 10. San Francisco 49ers - Everette Brown - DE - FSU The San Francisco 49ers may have looked at a QB here but Mike Singletary is a defensive-minded head coach and the 49ers seem to be content with Shaun Hill and Alex Smith battling out for the starting job. The outside linebacker spot opposite of Parys Haralson struggled to provide a pass rush last season as Manny Lawson struggled to find his pre-ACL injury form. Everette Brown is one of the more explosive defensive ends in the draft and while I feel that Brown is best suited as 4-3 defensive end, he fills a need for a hungry defense. 11. Buffalo Bills - Brandon Pettigrew - TE - Oklahoma State Pass rusher is a big need for the Bills but I can't see them passing up Oklahoma State's Brandon Pettigrew. The Bills, as of right now, have virtually zero underneath, tight end targets for young Quarterback Trent Edwards and Pettigrew changes that. At 6'6", 260, Pettigrew will be a big target for Edwards and will be an excellent blocker for Marshawn Lynch and Fred Jackson. A duo of Pettigrew and the future LT should open up holes for Jackson and Lynch to run through. 12. Denver Broncos - Tyson Jackson - DE - LSU The Broncos have needs at just about every position on defense. With their recent switch to the popular 3-4 alignment, they are sorely lacking pieces to the puzzle and they get here in Tyson Jackson. Jackson is stout against the run and has very good strength to hold up blocks. He's the prototypical 3-4 defensive end and could potentially move to NT if Marcus Thomas or Fields fail to deliver there. 13. Washington Redskins - Michael Oher - OT - Ole Miss The Washington Redskins have a couple options with the thirteenth pick, such as offensive tackle, defensive tackle and defensive end but I have them going with Oher here because he is too good to pass up and Jon Jansen has struggled quite a bit. Jansen has aged quickly and has struggled in pass protection while his backup, Stephen Hoyer, has struggled as well. Oher would move to RT for the time being and then eventually replace Chris Samuels at LT. 14. New Orleans Saints - Malcolm Jenkins - CB - OSU New Orleans has been heavily linked with Ohio State Buckeyes prospects Malcolm Jenkins and Chris "Beanie" Wells over the past month and for good reason. With the departure of Deuce McAllister, the Saints may be in the market for a power back but I feel they may already have that with Pierre Thomas. With them being est at RB for the time being, free safety and cornerback have to be at the top of the priorities list. The Saints signed Jabar Greer from Buffalo earlier this off-season but Mike McKenzie is still a aging corner with bad knees while Tracy Porter showed flashes of his potential last season. Malcolm Jenkins would fit in New Orleans well as Porter could be demoted to nickel cornerback and Jenkins could start opposite of Greer early in the season. At worst, Malcolm Jenkins becomes a very good free safety for the Saints, another big need to fill. 15. Houston Texans - Aaron Maybin - DE - PSU I'm aware of the signing of Antonio Smith but I'm not sure they're completely satisfied with their defensive line. The only way you are going to take over the Indianapolis Colts (and Titans) is if you put their QB's on there backsides. The raw Aaron Maybin would help with that tremendously as he has a very good first step and would be a situational rusher at first. He would come in on third down while Antonio Smith would move to the interior. 16. San Diego Chargers - Rey Maualuga - ILB - USC With Tyson Jackson off the board, the Chargers have to look to their next biggest need and that is inside linebacker. Stephen Cooper is not reliable and Matt Wilhelm didn't do a great job last season and in comes Rey Maualuga. The USC product is a thumper and has good range. He's a good blitzing linebacker up the middle as well. He'll have to work on his game though, as he tends to overpursue and is not much of a factor in coverage as he fails to get proper depth in zone coverage and looks lost often. 17. New York Jets - Matthew Stafford - QB - Georgia The Jets surprisingly end up with Matthew Stafford here at pick 17. Stafford is a big-armed quarterback that has spent time in a pro style offense at Georgia and is the most pro ready quarterback in the draft. He needs to work on his decision making skills and his consistency but the Jets could not pass on the Georgia quarterback because of the need at the position and the potential that Stafford possesses. 18. Denver Broncos - Brian Cushing - OLB - USC With the 18th pick acquired from the Bears in the Jay Cutler deal, the Broncos address the front seven again, this time with USC's Brian Cushing. Cushing has some durability issues and possibly steroid use but is a great fit for the Broncos as he's a hard worker, can play strong side linebacker and slide in at inside linebacker - a position that I think best suits him. 19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Michael Johnson - DE - Georgia Tech The Buccaneers could look to defensive tackle here with Peria Jerry or Ziggy Hood but with Kevin Carter getting up in age and a lack of a pass rush off the edge, they select Georgia Tech's Michael Johnson here. Johnson has great potential, a word used quite often, and has great stature that helps him disrupt passing windows. Johnson will have to work on staying motivated on a game to game basis and will have to maximize his potential to be an effective pass rusher in Tampa. 20. Detroit Lions - Josh Freeman - QB - Kansas State The Lions passed up on Matthew Stafford at number one to take the best offensive tackle available and here at twenty, they still end up with a franchise Quarterback. Freeman has some issues with accuracy and decision making but he is not expected to be thrusted into the lineup immediately, instead learning from Daunte Culpepper. Freeman reportedly has great character - to the point where GM's were asking him if he was 'prepared' for the interivew because he was saying all the right things - and a good work ethic that Jim Schwartz will admire. 21. Philadelphia Eagles - Knowshon Moreno - RB - Georgia With the addition of Jason Peters at left tackle, the Eagles can now shift their focus to addressing other needs such as running back. Brian Westbrook is one of the best 'backs in the league but he's had some durability issues and will be thirty this season, the age where running backs start to decline. Moreno fits the Eagles criteria better than Chris Wells as he's a more gifted pass catcher, something that the Eagles place a lot of emphasis on as you can see with Westbrook's numbers over the years. 22. Minnesota Vikings - Eben Britton - OT - Arizona Left Tackle Bryant McKinnie is likely not going to sign a long-term deal with Minnesota after next year and the Vikings still could upgrade their RT spot so they go with Eben Britton, a OT that I think is capable of playing both spots. Britton in my opinion is best fit on the right side because he struggles with power and speed rushers but he does have good athleticism and is a good run blocker, something that is key in springing Adrian Peterson down field. 23. New England Patriots - Clay Matthews - DE/OLB - USC The Patriots need a strong side linebacker to replace Mike Vrabel and there isn't one hotter than Clay Matthews of USC right now. Matthews has been rising up draft boards quickly and the Patriots are able to land him here at twenty-three. He's strong, can set the edge well and can get after the Quarterback. He didn't produce big sack numbers at USC despite the talent around him but he was a rotational pass rusher and not a full-time one. 24. Atlanta Falcons - Clint Sintim - OLB - UVA This pick may come as a head scratcher to some but makes a lot of sense to me. The Falcons need a strong side linebacker and at the moment, they have former Jaguar Mike Peterson starting there. Peterson, while talented, is getting old and has had durability issues. Sintim has dropped in coverage during his time at UVA, covering slot receivers and tight ends and could do well here for Atlanta. He also could slide down to defensive end if needed as Jamal Anderson hasn't been the pass rusher that Atlanta hoped when they selected him. 25. Miami Dolphins - Sean Smith - CB - Utah This is a difficult choice here because the Dolphins have a plethora of options here at twenty-five. In the end, Utah's Sean Smith makes a lot of sense and fills a glaring hole in the secondary. Smith is an unusual cornerback as he possesses great stature at 6'3 1/2 but he's fluid in his hips and is a player in run support, something that the management wants from their cornerbacks. Smith also fits very well into the Quarters coverage that the Dolphins are going to next season as he has good ball skills and has the speed to keep up with WR's down field. 26. Baltimore Ravens - Derrius Heyward-Bey - WR - Maryland A bit of a surprise here to some that Hakeem Nicks is not the Ravens pick because Nicks is one of the better wide receivers but he doesn't stretch the field as well as blazing Heyward-Bey is a capable of. The local prospect has a lot of potential and good size to go with his 4.30 speed. He's a very raw wide receiver and will have to develop his game over the next couple years. 27. Indianapolis Colts - Peria Jerry - DT - Ole Miss The Colts need help along the defensive line as they are thin there and don't have a lot of options. Ole Miss defensive tackle Peria Jerry has a good jolt off the line, is very quick and can collapse the pocket. The Colts could go with Evander "Ziggy" Hood here as well but for right now, I've got them going with Jerry. 28. Buffalo Bills - William Beatty - OT - UCONN The Bills shipped off Pro Bowler Jason Peters and now have a huge hole at left tackle and must address the position. William Beatty of Connecticut is one of the better OT's in the class in my opinion as he's got good feet and does a good job of keeping the pass rusher out of the pocket but he must display a mean streak and finish his blocks. 29. New York Giants - Kenny Britt - WR - Rutgers If the Giants keep this pick, I have them going with Rutgers wide receiver Kenny Britt over North Carolina's Hakeem Nicks. Not a popular pick but Britt's size (6'4") is greatly important to the success of Eli Manning. Manning tends to float quite a bit of balls and has some accuracy issues so the bigger the wide receiver, the better chance of Manning completing the pass. If the Giants trade this pick to Cleveland for Braylon Edwards, I think the Browns could go with Britt here or Vontae Davis of Illinois. 30. Tennessee Titans - Jarron Gilbert - DT/DE - SJSU Tennessee lost Albert Haynesworth to the ever wealthy Washington Redskins and now must replace him with a draft pick. They moved Jason Jones to defensive tackle as he played well in Haynesworth's absence last year but now are left with a question mark at defensive end. Kyle Vanden Bosch has struggled some with injuries and the same could be said for Jevon Kearse. San Jose State's Jarron Gilbert played defensive end before making the switch to defensive tackle in college and will provide versatility as well as a good pass rush to Tennessee. 31. Arizona Cardinals - Chris Wells - RB - OSU The Cardinals had success with drafting Tim Hightower last year but his inconsistency and lack of burst was an issue. Ohio State's Chris Wells is a good north-south runner and while he doesn't have the breakaway speed, he does have good quickness and has a good burst in the open field. He's got a very good stiff arm and this is very good value. 32. Pittsburgh Steelers - Alex Mack - OC - California Justin Hartwig gave up 6.5 sacks last year at the OC position and he must be replaced. The team seems to have lost faith in him and they are able to replace him here with the best center in the class. California's Alex Mack is a very good run blocker and has some minor issues that have to be corrected in pass protection but overall is a good looking prospect. He is also capable of sliding in at right guard and opening up holes for Willie Parker to run through. I think Duke Robinson is another option here for the Steelers.
Hey Alen. I just have a question. You said that you think Curry is among the top two in talent in your opinion with this draft but you normally don't take a MLB with the first overall pick. I have heard you (and many other people say) that Curry is "the safest pick". I realize that is only a speculation as is everything else that comes before a few years have passed by; but given that you're investing so much guaranteed money in the first overall pick wouldn't you think it to be wise to take "the safest player in the draft" regardless of who it is at any position? Just basing it off of a monetary and cap standpoint - and of course a position of need to which the lions aren't at many shortages. That and if they drafted Curry they'd have an awesome LBing corps. Thoughts?
Your exactly right, you should take the safest player in the draft and if I was drafting for the Lions, I'd take Curry but I'm not, I'm merely predicting what they're going to do unfortunately and I've come to the conclusion that they'll go with Jason Smith. Completely agree with you though.
I thought you would call me a dick again, lol. Remember when I had the Jets picking a RB in the first mock draft and you laughed but now, you have two 'backs that are looking for new deals.
Except Leon is a team first player who is still doing everything he needs to do, and is only 26, 27 years of age this season. He will get a nice 4 or 5 year extension. TJ? Yeah. He's being an *** hat. Hey Alen, it wasn't just you, it was all these a-holes having the Jets take a RB with their January and February mocks. When Jones wasn't looking for a new deal, it was stupid to have the Jets taking a RB. Now that he's opening his mouth looking for more $ at 30, 31 years of age, it looks like the Jets will be taking a RB on Day 1 at least.
I think with the depth at OT in the draft and the recent acquisition of William (or Tra) Thomas, they could wait. I know that Thomas is up there in age but he played well last year and could hold the spot down for at least one year.
Yeah, I like Leon even though it pains me to say it. Dynamic back but I hope he leaves New York because I'm tired of seeing him, lol. I think Donald Brown is a real option for them. If the Jets don't get the guy they want at 17, I could see them moving out of that pick to drop a few spots, acquire an extra draft choice and go with Donald Brown.
Brown would be nice, but I'm a huge Knowshon fan and I can't see anyone in the Top 16 taking him after San Diego re-did Tomlinson's deal and having Sproles under the $6.6 million franchise tag. Maybe Buffalo, but they need an Offensive and Defensive Line help before they look to replace Marshawn Lynch, if they even want to do that. They need to build from the inside out, thats the only way you win Championships.
True, however I'm not sure Sproles is there after the season. And Tomlinson is getting up there in age. The Chargers don't have any glaring holes so they could go with Knowshon there but yeah, Knowshon could be an option in New York at seventeen.
Knowshon, Heyward-Bey or Nicks. (or Maclin, if he falls) Anyone else and this regime is pissing me off already.
Haha. I dislike Heyward-Bey but he's an option. Surprised you said Nicks though. I like him a lot but I recall you saying you didn't want him because he was exactly like Jerricho Cotchery.
He has more up's than J-Co, I'll give him that. He is my 4th option, or 3rd if you don't include Maclin, but the Jets could do a lot worse than adding another Cotchery type with up's. Like, you know, taking a Percy Harvin or reaching on Kenny Britt.
Ah, gotcha. Yeah, I wouldn't want Percy Harvin either but I'm not sure we're allowed to say that around these parts.
Yeah. Cause he was awesome at the University of Florida, it means he automatically is going to be awesome in the NFL. Disregard plays coming out of the backfield and... Nevermind I'm stopping there.
I have them going with Louis Delmas. A bit of a reach but its a need. Other options included Larry English of NIU, Chris "Beanie" Wells of OSU and Kenny Britt of Rutgers. Hakeem Nicks is an option as well.
Thanks E. Yeah, I think its early for McCoy. I'm a fan of his game, very good cutback runner but I wonder about how he will hold up at the next level.
Nice mock alen thanks for sharing! You have Robert Ayers falling out of the first or was that an oversight? He seems to be getting tons of hype right now, and with passrushers being such a sought after commodity its hard to pencil him out right now. Gotta say, Green Bay would piss themselves having Raji fall to them lol, dream scenario for them. Also, it seems you have Curry as a ILB? I would have to agree with that. I think you cannot take an outside backer whos not a big passrusher anywhere near that early. The best example would be AJ Hawk imo. A good player, but not worth that #5 overall. I think Green Bay is moving him inside for their new 3-4. Safety is one thing to consider, and with the money some of these kids are getting its definately something that plays a part, but you still need to take some chances. The upside of some guys compared to a 3-4 MLB is something that also needs to be taken into account. Good read!
Thanks, TP. Appreciate it. Yeah, Ayers was an oversight. I didn't even realize I forgot him. I do have Curry as an ILB. I've heard that if they take him, they could play him weak side which I'm not sure about. He lacks an elite first step but he could play the spot. He's the safest player though and I think with the impact that Jerod Mayo had last year in NE, we could see the same with Curry. Agree with you on Hawk.
Just a point. But Philly has never taken a running back higher than the thrid round since Reid has been the coach IIRC.
Hey Brother, appreciate the mock, ? for ya...according to your taste, are maybin, brown and orakpo in the right range, where do you have them in your to 30 players regardless of position?
yeah the size of his waist line. his drafting? nah. i wouldn't be surprised to see him trade the #21 overall down for another second round pick and possibly something else.
I personally am not a fan of Everette Brown. Others like him but I don't. He doesn't set the edge well at all, he struggles to shed blocks and once the Tackle gets his feet set, he's done. I don't like him dropping in coverage either, as I think he's stiff and should cover the flats at most but that depends on what team he goes to and how much he's actually asked to cover. I wouldn't take him in the top twenty. More in the 25+ range. Brian Orakpo I like as a 4-3 defensive end but I probably wouldn't take him fifth overall, like my mock suggests. He's got a weak motor as he takes off quite a few plays and he doesn't do a great job of setting the edge when playing with his hand in the dirt. He's actually better at read and react when standing up, problem is that he's so dam stiff in his hips because of all of the muscle mass. He's all bulrush as well so at the next level, he's going to have to develop his pass rush skills for sure but that can be said with just about all of these prospects. I like him around fifteen and not in the top five or ten. Aaron Maybin is incredibly raw but his explosiveness and quickness off the edge is tough to match. His first step is really good and from the little I've seen of him, I like how he can dip his shoulder and get around the blocker. He's a one-way player so he would strictly be a weak side rusher for us and I do wonder how much weight he can carry on his frame. He's sitting at 250 right now I believe but I know he stated that he lost quite a bit of weight during the season. I like him between picks 15-30.
It will be interesting, several guys have big needs at positions they dont usually go for. Reid in RB, Fischer in WR. I heard Philly is trying to get Pettigrew if he falls a bit, and they still have the ammo to move up if they want to get him. As for the Ayers oversight, its totally easy to do. I actually forgot Monroe in mine lol. Keep going back to revise and erase a players name and forget to shift them down heh. I do think Curry can have a Mayo type year, that would be huge for the chiefs as they are terrible up the middle. Any word on where they plan to play Dorsey? Could they be looking quietly at Raji as their Wilfork maybe with Dorsey playing Richard Seymour/Ty Warren role? The thing about Curry playing outside is that hes not quite so dynamic and impactful there, not enough to warrant a selection that high. Its just not done much, and when it does it hasnt panned out (the Hawk reference). If they go OLB they have to take a rusher like Orakpo. Hell, werent they the worst team in the league for sacks last year? So if they go Curry they have to play him MLB.
Haha. Thing with Ayers is that his draft stock has been all over the place so when I was making these picks, I didn't think about him in the first round for some reason. Dorsey is rumored to be playing defensive end and some nose tackle for them. Thing is that they'll likely be playing a hybrid 3-4/4-3 with Pendergast running the defense so they'll have him playing all over the line I'd assume. In reference to Raji, I'd be surprised if they were, at number three at least. I could see them moving down and then selecting him but I doubt it. Yeah, I think they had like thirteen sacks last year, lol. I read earlier that they are likely to look at him for weak side rusher while Hali and Vrabel play strong-side, which is interesting. I still would be surprised to see Curry playing a spot other than inside linebacker. Its not that I don't think he can do it, I just think its best fit for him there.
Alen, I respect your opinions and think you do a great job, so the following is said with love, but you are crazy if you think Stafford gets anywhere close to 17. Other than that I think it's a pretty solid draft. Some of the more interesting picks on your mock are actually similar to some of mine.
