Mel Kiper Jr's. 4 round Mock Draft With the NFL draft two weeks away, the one hot spot in the first round remains with the New Orleans Saints and second overall pick. While I still have North Carolina State defensive end Mario Williams going to New Orleans, the outlook of the first round could change significantly if the Saints trade the pick. My first-round projections remain nearly the same, with the one newcomer being NC State defensive end Manny Lawson. Overshadowed by Williams at NC State, Lawson had a very good senior season then performed exceptionally well at the NFL scouting combine. Right now I am projecting the Jets will use their second first-round pick on Lawson, where he will be used as a pass-rushing defensive end/outside linebacker. New this week are my projections for the second, third and fourth rounds. You will be surprised to see some players initially projected as first-round picks have slipped to the second round in recent weeks. 1st Round | 2nd Round | 3rd Round | 4th Round First-Round Projections 1. Houston Reggie Bush, RB USC 2. New Orleans Mario Williams, DE NC State 3. Tennessee Matt Leinart, QB USC 4. N.Y. Jets D'Brickashaw Ferguson, T Virginia 5. Green Bay A.J. Hawk, LB Ohio St. 6. San Francisco Vernon Davis, TE Maryland 7. Oakland Vince Young, QB Texas 8. Buffalo Brodrick Bunkley, DT Florida St. 9. Detroit Michael Huff, DB Texas 10. Arizona Jay Cutler, QB Vanderbilt 11. St. Louis Chad Greenway, LB Iowa 12. Cleveland Kamerion Wimbley, DE/OLB Florida St. 13. Baltimore Haloti Ngata, DT Oregon 14. Philadelphia Winston Justice, T USC 15. Denver (from ATL) Chad Jackson, WR Florida 16. Miami Donte Whitner, S Ohio St. 17. Minnesota Ernie Sims, LB Florida St. 18. Dallas Jason Allen, S/CB Tennessee 19. San Diego Johnathan Joseph, CB South Carolina 20. Kansas City Tye Hill, CB Clemson 21. New England Santonio Holmes, WR Ohio St. 22. Denver (from WSH) DeAngelo Williams, RB Memphis 23. Tampa Bay Antonio Cromartie, CB Florida St. 24. Cincinnati Jimmy Williams, CB Virginia Tech 25. N.Y. Giants Kelly Jennings, CB Miami 26. Chicago Richard Marshall CB Fresno St. 27. Carolina LenDale White, RB USC 28. Jacksonville Marcedes Lewis, TE UCLA 29. N.Y. Jets (from DEN) Manny Lawson, DE/OLB NC State 30. Indianapolis Laurence Maroney, RB Minnesota 31. Seattle Ashton Youboty, CB Ohio St. 32. Pittsburgh Sinorice Moss, WR Miami 1st Round | 2nd Round | 3rd Round | 4th Round Second-Round Projections 33. Houston Eric Winston, T Miami 34. New Orleans Nick Mangold, C Ohio St. 35. N.Y. Jets Joseph Addai, RB LSU 36. Green Bay Tamba Hali, DE Penn St. 37. San Francisco Bobby Carpenter, LB Ohio St. 38. Oakland Gabe Watson, DT Michigan 39. Tennessee D'Qwell Jackson, LB Maryland 40. Detroit Davin Joseph, G Oklahoma 41. Arizona Leonard Pope, TE Georgia 42. Buffalo Taitusi "Deuce" Lutui, G USC 43. Cleveland Abdul Hodge, LB Iowa 44. Baltimore Brodie Croyle, QB Alabama 45. Philadelphia DeMeco Ryans, LB Alabama 46. St. Louis Orien Harris, DT Miami 47. Atlanta Cedric Griffin, CB Texas 48. Minnesota Kellen Clemens, QB Oregon 49. Dallas Marcus McNeill, T Auburn 50. San Diego Demetrius Williams, WR Oregon 51. Minnesota (from MIA) Chris Chester, OL Oklahoma 52. New England Brian Calhoun, RB Wisconsin 53. Washington Rocky McIntosh, LB Miami 54. Kansas City Darryl Tapp, DE Virginia Tech 55. Cincinnati Dominique Byrd, TE USC 56. N.Y. Giants Thomas Howard, LB UTEP 57. Chicago Greg Jennings, WR Western Michigan 58. Carolina Joe Klopfenstein, TE Colorado 59. Tampa Bay Andrew Whitworth, T LSU 60. Jacksonville Jason Spitz, C Louisville 61. Denver Mark Anderson, DE Alabama 62. Indianapolis Daniel Bullocks, DB Nebraska 63. Seattle Mathias Kiwanuka, DE Boston College 64. Pittsburgh Danieal Manning, DB Abilene Christian 1st Round | 2nd Round | 3rd Round | 4th Round Third-Round Projections 65. Houston Ko Simpson, DB South Carolina 66. Houston (from NO) Gerris Wilkinson, LB Georgia Tech 67. Green Bay Max Jean-Gilles, G Georgia 68. San Francisco David Pittman, CB Northwestern St. (La.) 69. Oakland Maurice Drew, RB UCLA 70. Buffalo (from TEN) Ryan O'Callaghan, T California 71. N.Y. Jets Brandon Williams, WR Wisconsin 72. Arizona Jon Alston, LB Stanford 73. Buffalo Maurice Stovall, WR Notre Dame 74. Detroit Devin Hester, CB Miami 75. New England (from BAL) Chris Gocong, DE/LB Cal Poly-SLO 76. Philadelphia Claude Wroten, DT LSU 77. St. Louis David Thomas, TE Texas 78. Cleveland Charles Spencer, G Pittsburgh 79. Atlanta Calvin Lowery, DB Penn St. 80. Dallas Charlie Whitehurst, QB Clemson 81. San Diego Paul McQuistan, OL Weber St. 82. Miami Parys Haralson, DE Tennessee 83. Minnesota Will Blackmon, WR/CB Boston College 84. San Francisco (from WSH) Victor Adeyanju, DE Indiana 85. Kansas City Brandon Marshall, WR Central Florida 86. New England Montavious Stanley, DT Louisville 87. N.Y. Giants Kyle Williams, DT LSU 88. Chicago Anthony Fasano, TE Notre Dame 89. Carolina Darnell Bing, DB USC 90. Tampa Bay Willie Reid, WR Fresno St. 91. Cincinnati Stanley McClover, DE Auburn 92. Jacksonville Jerome Harrison, RB Washington St. 93. Atlanta (from DEN) Devin Aromashodu, WR Auburn 94. Indianapolis Dusty Dvoracek, DT Oklahoma 95. Minnesota (from SEA) Le Kevin Smith, DT Nebraska 96. Pittsburgh Brent Hawkins, DE/OLB Illinois St. 97. N.Y. Jets (comp. pick) Roman Harper, DB Alabama 1st Round | 2nd Round | 3rd Round | 4th Round Fourth-Round Projections 98. Houston James Wyche, DE Syracuse 99. New Orleans Demetrice Webb, CB Florida 100. San Francisco Lawrence Vickers, FB Colorado 101. Oakland Anthony Smith, DB Syracuse 102. Tennessee Leon Washington, RB Florida St. 103. N.Y. Jets Alan Zemaitis, CB Penn St. 104. Green Bay Derrick Martin, CB Wyoming 105. Buffalo Elvis Dumervil, DE Louisville 106. New England (from DET) Guy Whimper, T East Carolina 107. Arizona Fred Matua, G USC 108. Philadelphia David Kirtman, FB USC 109. St. Louis Kevin Boothe, OL Cornell 110. Cleveland DeMario Minter, CB Georgia 111. Baltimore Dion Byrum, CB Ohio 112. Cleveland (from ATL) Rodrique Wright, DT Texas 113. San Diego Babatunde Oshinowo, DT Stanford 114. Miami Zach Strief, T Northwestern 115. Minnesota Miles Austin, WR Monmouth 116. Philadelphia (from DAL) Tarvaris Jackson, QB Alabama St. 117. N.Y. Jets (from KC) Greg Eslinger, C Minnesota 118. New England Derek Hagan, WR Arizona St. 119. Denver (from WSH) Owen Daniels, TE Wisconsin 120. Chicago Freddie Keiaho, LB San Diego St. 121. Carolina Jonathan Scott, T Texas 122. Tampa Bay Brandon Johnson, LB Louisville 123. Cincinnati John McCargo, DT NC State 124. N.Y. Giants Jeremy Trueblood, T Boston College 125. Jacksonville James Anderson, LB Virginia Tech 126. Denver Bernard Pollard, DB Purdue 127. Philadelphia (from IND) Hank Baskett, WR New Mexico 128. Seattle John Torp, P Colorado 129. Pittsburgh Andre Hall, RB South Florida 130. Denver (comp. pick) Jeremy Bloom, WR Colorado 131. Pittsburgh (comp. pick) Daryn Colledge, T Boise St. 132. Baltimore (comp. pick) Rob Sims, G Ohio St. 133. Pittsburgh (comp. pick) Omar Jacobs, QB Bowling Green
I like the brick, Lawson, Addai, and even the Eslinger picks...but whats up with the 2 DB's? I don't think we will take one on the first day let alone 2 in round 3.
I wouldn't mind seeing them take Lawson and would understand it. But I think Mangold is more of need and would be a better pick IMO. If they take Addai, a RB, when Carpenter is still on the board I will not be happy. RB is not a big need postion at this point. They can afford to take a project in later rounds. Carpenter is a Mangini type guy with a great upside. I can see a WR being taken here. But a DB? Really? Even after the Dyson signing? I don't know about that. ANOTHER CB?? Hmmm...I hope not. Eslinger at this point would be great value and a good pick. I normally agree with Kiper's picks, but I am not sure about some of these. I think he needs to look more at the team needs than his grades. I am sure these will change closer to the draft though.
It would make sense to take Carpenter over Addai, but there won't be much need for him since we already drafted Lawson. I wouldn't take Lawson over Carpenter to begin with.
Nope...can't say I like these picks much. I don't know enough about our practice squad center to like him, so I would like mangold at no.29. I don't know anything about the wr in the mock, so I'll do some research on him in a minute. I like Addai, just don't think we need him on a team with 3 rb's sharing carries....and DB isn't a priority to me so to draft one on day 1 doesn't bode well w/me.
I don't like the Addai pick if Croyle from 'Bama is on the board. I know C-mart is getting up there but I think Houston should be given a shot.
Brandon Williams Height: 5-9 3/8 | Weight: 179 | 40-Time: 4.52 Official Bio Strengths: Very quick with a burst...A terror in the open field and a threat to score every time he touches the ball...Has great hands...Very productive and owns the Badgers all-time record for career receptions...A good route runner...An excellent return man. Weaknesses: Lacks great size and has a slight build...Is more quick than fast...Struggles with physical defensive backs...Is not very strong and will have trouble beating the jam...Blocking skills are below average...Upside at the next level might be limited. Notes: Will be able to contribute on special teams right away...Probably projects as a #3 or #4 slot wideout at the next level...Lacks ideal measurables but is just a good football player...May never be a star but can certainly play a role for some team. Sounds like a slower version of santana....no way we take him with tim dwight on the team....
I think this was the most hilarious part of his ESPN Chat: He basically rates who did best in his mock draft!! Isn't that like predicting the winner of a checkers game when you play vs. yourself? Jeff (Reading, PA): Mel, Based on your mock draft, which team do you feel has the best draft class? Mel Kiper: That's a good question. When you look at it, you like a lot of team's drafts. If you go through it and look at particular teams, Pittsburgh. If they end up with Sinorice Moss in the first round and then get a Danieal Manning, Brent Hawkins, Andre Hall, Omar Jacobs. If they ended up with those players in the first four rounds, that's a good draft. I like New England too. Santonio Holmes, Brian Calhoun, Chris Gocong, Montavias Stanley, Guy Whimper, Derek Hagan. That would be a good draft for them too.
How does this guy get any respect as someone who knows about the draft. His drafts are like playing bingo with your grandmother... everything is random out of the sky. How can he hold this job, and cash his check without laughing. Ellis
Round 1: Brick & Lawson. I like this alot, we need the OLB/DE hybrid more than just an OLB. I think Lawson is a great pick, but I doubt he is available here. Him and Kamerion Wimbley are the best two hybrids in this draft and there are alot of 3-4 defenses that pick before us... like Cleveland, Dallas and New England specifically. Round 2: Addai. Sorry but if you think we would pass on McNeill, Bobby Carpenter, Watson, Lutui, Davin, Hali, Kiwi, Hodge, D'Qwell... for a RB you are crazy. Round 3: You know what I can't keep going... he has us passing on Stovall for another tiny WR in round 3... passing on OT, OG, DE all over the place for DBs. Eslinger isn't going to slip to the 4th round either... What garbage.
WTF!!!!!! Round 1 is cool, but a WR, 2 DB's and a RB. I don't think so... I know, let's just forget about every position of need and draft a bunch skill positions for the hell of it.
Kiper has the following players dropping way too low IMO: 67. Green Bay Max Jean-Gilles, G Georgia 78. Cleveland Charles Spencer, G Pittsburgh 112. Cleveland (from ATL) Rodrique Wright, DT Texas 117. N.Y. Jets (from KC) Greg Eslinger, C Minnesota 121. Carolina Jonathan Scott, T Texas 123. Cincinnati John McCargo, DT NC State Then again, I'm no EXPERT!
Jean-Gilles and O'Callahan falling into the third round.... sure Mel. I have never ONCE heard Kiper say he looks at films.... and it's obvious he doesn't. Eslinger he may have gotten right though, but only that he will drop. He hasn't put up very good workout numbers and is a pure zone blocking center. Someone should mention to Kiper that the Jets won't be a zone blocking team in 2006. I think Kiper just looks at other people's stuff, and then throws a mock together.