So last year I did about five of these over on FH, but since there are so many people over here, I just wanted to wait and make the best one I could. To be fair to all reading this, my last mock last year was 4-8 last year and I only hit on the first pick. 1. Brandon Pettigrew, TE, Oklahoma State Wait, what? Not a receiver, linebacker, or cornerback? Sebo you must be hanging out with Matt Jones too much. Let me explain. I don't think the value is there at any of those positions. It is my belief that we can get a comparable OLB at 44 and a comparable CB at 56. I also don't believe in first round receivers and agree with Ireland/Parcell's philosophy that they are a dime a dozen. So this pick becomes about value. Pettigrew is a top ten talent, IMO, but I think the highest he would go would be to the Eagles at 21. I just have a feeling that they will go a different way. This lets Brandon slip to 25. He is the best all around tight end prospect I have seen recently with soft, reliable hands and the ability to block like a lineman. As to those who say this is not a need, well how many times did we see Joey Haynos in the lineup last year? Pettigrew is another weapon. 2a. Clint Sintim, OLB, Virginia I really don't need to explain this one too much. Everyone knows I think he is one of the surest bets in this draft and could come in and start right away for Roth. All around player that could be a consistent pro bowler. If he is off the board then I would have gone with Kruger. 2b. Jairius Byrd, CB, Oregon I really and honestly do not see a big enough gap between Byrd and players like Smith and Butler to not wait until this point to draft a corner earlier. Byrd is a playmaker and a ballhawk and I thank Fin-O for turning me on to him a few weeks ago. I really think he could push for a starting spot early in his rookie season. 3. Dorell Scott, NT, Clemson A pretty common pick in mocks around here these days, but I guess if the shoe fits. Simply put, we need at young NT, Scott is the best available at this point. Put two and two together and you have our future NT. 4. Louis Vasquez, OG, Texas Tech Tough, nasty, and a leader on an overachieving Red Raiders team last year. To me he has everything you look for in a guard and may eventually have the skills to take over for Smiley. He needs some work, but not as much as Murphy did. Ironically, considering where he is coming from, I think he is better in the running game than the passing game. Very underrated as a prospect and really made me pay attention while watching the Raiders this past season. 5. Jarett Dillard, WR, Rice Thanks to Odin and Alen for bringing this guy back to my attention. Saw him play a couple of times on TV while at Rice and was very impressed. Simply put, he will find the ball and find the endzone. I think he is being punished like Bess was last year because of the offense he comes out of, but as we learned, do not misjudge receivers from spread offenses . To me we have to be careful who we add to our receivers with a great core of Ginn, London, Bess, and Cammy . . . but I feel like Dillard is the perfect addition to that quartet. 7a. Antonio Appleby, ILB, Virginia Yes, I am picking an apple from the Groh tree again. Get it, apple. Its funny, like an oversized novelty hat. Heh. Anyway, Appleby could just be one of the steals of the draft. I see him as a 3-4 Zach Thomas . . . only he is 6-4 and 250 pounds. Great in the run, but needs help in the passing game. Certainly worth a seventh round pick and could be a starter by 2010. 7b. Jose Valdez, OT, Arkansas Say what you want about Houston Nutt (and trust me, I have, many, many times with many, many words not appropriate here), but he knows offensive lineman. Valdez has experience paving the way for a running attack and made great strides toward the end of last year in pass protection. A project to be sure, but worth a flyer at this point for depth at the tackle spot. 7c. Brad Lester, RB, Auburn Lester is a bit of an enigma in this draft. Early talent but with a serious injury last season. Someone who will likely be placed on the practice squad for a year to get healthy and develop. When he does get healthy, he is a good all-around back with a penchant for running hard. Just one of several big names that could be had here that also includes P.J. Hill, Ian Johnson, and Tyrell Sutton. So there you have it folks, I did put a lot of time and energy into this and I thank you for reading it. Hopefully I do better than last year. lol.
I like this mock quite a bit actually. I think we will likely see someone fall to us ... in this example it's Pettigrew. From a CB perspective, I'd probably take Sean Smith over Byrd, but that's just my personal tastes more than anything. I also think that we'll see Dillard off the board much sooner than the 5th round. That's just my opinion though ... and since Alen & drafted him in the GM league you know we like the kid. If we were to take Scintim at 25, Byrd at 2a, and Dillard at 2b I'd be a pretty happy camper, but getting a weapon like Pettigrew would make me happy as well ... especially seeing how much we used the TE last year.
Good mock! It's a good example of a team sticking to it's board which is something that I believe the Dolphins may do.
I dont think Smith would be around at 2b VO. Youd have to take him at 1 or 2a instead of Pettigrew or Sintim. Overall not a bad mock at all. If this is how it played out I think we would have some very nice upgrades for our team.
If there's one linebacker in this draft that I can't stand watching, its Antonio Appleby. Very soft kid. I dont' like him at all. I also think you'll see Dillard go higher than that.
Love the first three picks. Not a big fan of the rest but just my personal tastes. Only thing I see wrong is that we have a sixth from the Raiders from when we traded Satele and we don't a third 7th because we traded for McDaniel.
