OK, before I get into the whole thing, this mock is probably about 2 to 3 weeks in the making. A lot of tweaking, fixing, moving, head scratching, and cursing has produced what you will soon see. It's a combination of things that have happened so far this season (as you'll see with the order), and things that I expect to occur the rest of the way. I'll have a little bit with each pick, if you have any further questions, please let know know. And of course, let me know what you all think. 1. St. Louis- QB Sam Bradford, Oklahoma - I'm honestly not as big a fan of Bradford as others, but just like with Matt Stafford last year, they don't have much choice. He'll give the team something to look forward to, and having Jason Smith already in place is an important factor as well. 2. Cleveland- DE Carlos Dunlap, Florida - If you're thinking "The Browns wouldn't take him, he's not really a great fit for a 3-4", save it. They said the same thing about Mario Williams, and the simple fact is that coaches get fired and schemes get adjusted. Even though he hasn't been as good as he should this year so far, he's still a freak. 3. Tampa Bay- DT Ndamukong Suh, Nebraska - Tampa needs a lot, and that's putting it nicely. Luckily for them, they actually possess a quarterback of the future and a solid OL, so they can focus this pick on a top defensive player. Suh is a man, and should be a great centerpiece to their young defense. 4. Miami- WR Arrelious Benn, Illinois - The addition of Tyler Thigpen cements the fact that Miami won't be looking for a quarterback this early. Benn is a dynamic player that the Dolphins could certainly use on the offensive side of the ball. I know, they just drafted Ted Ginn in the top ten three years ago, but he's likely never going to reach the unrealistic expectations placed on him. 5. San Francisco (from Carolina)- S Eric Berry, Kansas City - Finally, perhaps the best player in the whole draft comes off the board. Wise men will tell you that safeties can be found just about anywhere in the draft, but those people didn't meet Eric Berry. He's a perfect fit for San Francisco, on a defense that is led by a great defensive mind. 6. Kansas City- OT Russ Okung, OK State - They brought in the QB, now they just have to figure out some way to protect him. They don't have much talent on the line right now, and I believe that Okung could be a very good player at either tackle position. Brandon Albert has been solid, but might be better off at guard than left tackle. 7. Washington- QB Jimmy Clausen, Notre Dame - A team can't talk to or about every potential quarterback addition and expect the incumbent to go unphased. Clausen has performed very well this season, and that, along with the likelihood that he'll test very well, gets him ahead of almost every other QB. Clausen is probably right there with Bradford in terms of ability, and has the luxury of a QB-friendly coach in Jim Zorn. 8. Oakland- S Taylor Mays, USC - It's a lock. A stone-cold one at that. Mays is an athletic freak, and the Raiders are only capable of drafting such players. The fact that Mays' play has fallen off recently, including apparently how to tackle with anything but your shoulder, probably won't factor into the situation. 9. Detroit- DT Gerald McCoy, Oklahoma - The Lions aren't as bad as most people think, and certainly much better than they were last year. Jim Schwartz can really upgrade the defense by adding McCoy to a line that needs a star. 10. Jacksonville- QB Tim Tebow, Florida - The Jaguars need to sell tickets, flat out. Tebow probably won't ever be a great player, but the Jaguars need something soon to get the team relevant again, even in their own city. They'll adjust the offense to whatever is needed, I'm sure. 11. Seattle- OT Trent Williams, Oklahoma - Walter Jones is just about ready to hang it up, and the Seahawks haven't even come close to finding a replacement for him. Trent Williams outplayed his older linemates last season and is deserving of a first round selection, though he still has some work to do in his switch to the blindside. 12. Buffalo- LB Sean Weatherspoon, Missouri - The Bills need a lot of help. They have a multitude of OK players, but very few that could be seen as present, or even future stars. Weatherspoon is the best linebacker in the draft, and would add some pop to a defense that's not really showing much this season. 13. Arizona- LB Sergio Kindle, Texas - Clark Haggins and Bertrand Berry are getting older, and the Cards are going to need a passrusher if they want to have a top 3-4 defense. A lot of varied opinions on him, but Kindle can be something special, and I personally think he's worth the risk midway through the first round. 14. Tennessee- DE Greg Hardy, Ole Miss - Hardy is probably physically one of the best players in the draft, but there are enough reservations about his mental makeup to drop him down. Hardy has had a lot of problems in his time with the Rebels, be it injuries or disagreements with the staff, and that has led to big drop-offs in playing time for their most talented players. If he can keep his head on straight and stay healthy, he's a terror. 15. Dallas- OT Brian Bulaga, Iowa - Flozell Adams has pretty much been relegated to tripping defensive ends as they run by on their path to Tony Romo. They need a young tackle to come in and learn, and Bulaga is a great fit. 16. Houston- CB Joe Haden, Florida - The cornerback class is one of it's few weak points. Joe Haden is a quality player that should get the boost out of the pack because of top notch speed and athleticism. The Texans have a lot of good players, but need a playmaker in the secondary. 17. San Francisco- QB Colt McCoy, Texas - The Niners second first rounder is a bit more of a luxury pick, but one that could pay off big in a few years. At first glance, McCoy has a lot of similarities to Alex Smith, mobile with just OK arm strength, but I personally think much of the reason Smith failed was the situation that faced him on his arrival. McCoy would have a better team around him, a coach that seems to really have control of the players, and a capable, though unspectacular starting QB already in place. 18. Pittsburgh- OT Charles Brown, USC - The Steelers have been getting by for some time without really investing many high picks into the offensive line, but those days may be nearing their end. Willie Colon should be a fixture at RT, but an upgrade over Max Starks on the blindside should be strongly considered. 19. Denver (from Chicago)- DT Terrance Cody, Alabama - Nose tackles are the most important players in a 34. It's just that simple. If the Broncos want to make that next step and continue to improve as a defense, they'll need to find a man to clog the middle. My guess is that Cody can clog just about anything with very little effort. 20. Cincinnati- WR Dez Bryant, OK State - Ochocinco has been a thorn in the Bengals' side for some time, even if he has appeared to change his ways (again) recently. The simple fact is that the Bengals need him, now more than ever. Bringing in some youth at the position will let them cut a problem child or two. If 85 stays then Bryant's ability as a possession guy will be a perfect compliment. 21. Philadelphia- OT Ciron Black, LSU - The Eagles have been waiting for a year and change for Shawn Andrews to get healthy, and that days may never come. Black could challenge right away for the RT job, or even play inside at guard. For a team without many needs, a versatile, potential starter this late is a great pick. 22. San Diego- WR Damian Williams, USC - The better Philip Rivers gets, the more playmakers the Chargers should be trying to add around him. Chris Chambers isn't close to where he was a few years ago, and Williams would fit in very well with Antonio Gates and Vincent Jackson on the outside. 23. Green Bay- OT Selvish Capers, West Virginia - Capers is an underrated prospect that could see his way into the late first/early 2nd area by the end of the year. He's an athletic tackle that the Packers are in desperate need of, with their tackles being either mediocre or past their prime. 24. New England- LB Eric Norwood, South Carolina - As good as the passrushers are in this draft, none may be as good at it as Norwood. Just as dominant getting to the QB this year as he's been in the past, he'd be a perfect fit on the Patriots due to his experience as a linebacker. 25. Atlanta- LB Rolando McClain, Alabama - McClain has a chance to end up a lot higher by the end of the season, but for the most late in the first is when non-elite inside linebackers tend to go. The Falcons have to reload their LB corps with more than an aging Mike Peterson. (the rest in the next post)
26. Seattle (from Denver)- RB Jahvid Best, California - I'm not sure that Jahvid Best is exactly what the Seahawks are looking for at the position, but it's a move that they should have made already. Forsett has potential, but his Cal counterpart can be great in a number of different roles, and is developing as a feature back. 27. Minnesota- DE Everson Griffen, USC - The Vikes could probably put anyone on a line with the Williamses and Jared Allen, but why waste a chance to get a potential stud? With Ray Edwards a FA and the Vikes probably not looking to add another big payday to the line, Griffen could be a relatively cheap option as a starter. Plus, Griffen has the physical talent of a top five pick. 28. NY Jets- DE Arthur Jones, Syracuse - The Jets pick came down to a decision of simply the biggest need on the team. There's little depth on the line, Shaun Ellis is aging, Marques Douglas is old already, and the backups, while solid, are definitely backups. Jones more fits the mold of a 34 end to me than some other options out there, including Corey Wootton. 29. NY Giants- OG Anthony Davis, Rutgers - The Giants really don't have any weaknesses to be totally honest. Maybe another safety, but Michael Johnson is a young overachiever and they already have a budding (though injured) star in Kenny Phillips. Davis hasn't played to potential this season, but he can play a number of line positions. Under a tough coach like Tom Coughlin, Davis could develop quickly and take over at either guard or tackle in the coming years. 30. Indianapolis- OC Kris O’Dowd, USC - The once dominant Colts line has lost a lot in recent years. Jeff Saturday's getting up there in age, and has a three year deal in place that will probably take him to the end of his NFL career. O'Dowd is following in an impressive line of Trojan centers, and could learn at guard before taking over at center when Saturday moves on. 31. New Orleans- CB Patrick Robinson, Florida State - '09 first rounder Malcolm Jenkins seems pretty solidly placed at safety, which means that the Saints are STILL in need of a big time cornerback. Tracy Porter seems like he'll emerge from his youth as a pretty good player, despite being really up and down at first, but besides him they have little. Robinson is a bit smaller, but has great catch up speed and legacy of great Nole CBs to fall back on. 32. Baltimore- WR Brandon LaFell, LSU - Joe Flacco has been absolutely terrific this season, but asking him to do so much without giving him some extra weapons to play with isn't very nice. Derrick Mason almost retired once, and may not hang around much longer, the tall, rangy LaFell should be ready to start once he's ready to leave. OK, let me know what you think.
Hmm, at that point most of the first round prospects I like are off the board, but still I would prefer Vince Oghoobase from Duke over Jones
Damn good mock for being so early... I'd rather see the Jets take Northwestern's Corey Wootton in the first over Arthur Jones. I agree with each and every pick except for the Russ Okung selection - I know he's rated really high now, but I think true left tackle prospects like Trent Williams and Bryan Bulaga might slide in front of him after private workouts. Jimmy Clausen in the top ten is awesome - I just hope that he doesn't leave early. If he does, he could move ahead of Sam Bradford.
Nice effort GH, but that's to be expected. You really seemed to meet alot of needs and put alot of thought into your mock. I llike the Jet's pick (3-4 DE) and is right where Jones should be selected, Wooton is a favorite too, as I have mentioned in other threads. My friend, MR E, has suggested a RT in later rd 1 maybe a possibility and if Trent Williams fell to the Jets , I would be ecstatic!!! Williams has converted to LT and could be an option at RT and a backup to slide to LT, if Brick gets injuryed. The Jets need to have an option at LT just in case. Have to protect the Sanchize. Mays going to the Raiders seems like a lock. Jimmy C may just be the 1st pick in this draft!! Everson Griffen is a monster player and as you suggested should be drafted higher. Dez Bryant falling to 20 is a mild surprise....I guess it's just a need factor. A few players omitted, that could have made your Mock: Trevard Lindley: is IMO, the second best Cb coming into this draft. So far he has played very well this year, and was SEC defensive player of the week. Needs to bulk up some. CJ Spiller: I really like CJ and he may become the top rated back after the combine with his great speed, could run 4.3+. Some don't like Spiller, I love his game. Jermaine Gresham: If he comes out, he still will be a Rd 1 pick. I think it's better than 50/50 he stays another year...since the injury. EDIT:...He's coming out!!! Brandon Spikes: Should have came out last year...strike when the iron is hot. Still should fall into late Rd 1. Lawrence Marsh: is one of my favorites and should be a Rd 1 selection. George Selvie: A perfect 3-4 OLB for some lucky team...maybe New England. I know his stats were down last year, but he has picked his game up and should be a very good NFL player...one player I'm very excited about. Great Job....always fun to read someone's POV!!!
Good mock im still workin on mine but these things take forever. Good call on Clausen by the end of the year he'll probably be first overall passing Bradford, i never really liked him either coming out. As far as Wooton goes right now i think he's a a second round pick im not as high on him as others are but i still like him as a possible target in the target.
We basically need players that are on the lines, WR, or perhaps even a 3-4 OLB like Selvie who could fall to us.
He is still property of the niners and really i dont really want him right now the fact thats he has held out this long is kinda sad just for some money that he thinks he deserves. I like Benn, Bryant and Williams over him right now
Thanks for the responses guys. rhodesfan16: I went Jones over Vinny O because in my mind Jones has more potential as a power player. Oghobaase can play there, but I think for Jones the transition would be more natural. Mr E: I've been trying see/read as much about Wootton as I could lately, and I don't know if he really is destined for end in a 34 like I had once thought. Despite his size he has a really long frame, and appears to like the speed moves a lot more than I would like to see. I know that he had the knee surgery in the offseason, but I don't know if he's cut out to hold up linemen in a 34 defense. In my mind a kid like Jones could play at end and easily line up between the center and the guard when our defense starts to switch things up, while Wootton would take time to even adjust to playing over the tackle before the team could think about doing much more with him. Jones might not ever be a star, but I'd be more worried about getting a consistent and quality player. As for Okung, I thought him to the Chiefs was a good fit because I'm not entirely sure what they think of Brandon Albert just yet. Okung might not be totally suited to be a Left Tackle, but that's OK if they are confident in Albert. Or, if Okung can play on the blindside then Albert can move inside to guard where he's probably better suited. Either way he could be a pretty nice addition to a line that desperately needs talent. I started with Clausen sitting somewhere in the late teens, then I just kept bumping him up and ahead of other players. What's funny about the QBs is that I actually had Snead in the 20s and was getting ready to defend why I had him so low, but he went and answered those questions for me. WW: I tried to fit Bryant in, but you're right, it's just team needs. As good as he is, his lack of elite speed's going to keep him from being a real priority for some teams. Lindley fell because I don't see him running all that well, whereas Robinson's the type that will rise after workouts. It's just the way cornerbacks usually go, so I went ahead and just figured what I think will happen. I had Spiller in the first round until I made some late changes. I actually had him going to Minnesota, with Chester Taylor being a FA after the season, they're going to need a back to spell All Day. That and they don't really have many needs. Gresham's coming out, but I won't put him in the first until he shows he's 100% in workouts. Spikes I think just hasn't been playing up to the standard he set last year, which pushes McClain solidly ahead of him as the top ILB. Marsh is a good prospect, but more of a niche guy that'll go to a team that really needs a 34 end in the 2nd. I wouldn't rank him ahead of guys like Jones or Vinny O. Selvie got eaten alive by double teams last year, and he's contending with a very strong 34 rusher class, maybe one of the strongest we've seen in some time. I'd also put Jerry Hughes in there before him if there was a team that needed such a player.
No question, Spike's stock has taken a hit of late. It's a shame cause Spikes would have been a Mid-1st Rd pick last April. Alot of pundits have been saying "no athletic ability" or "slow footspeed". To be fair, Spikes has suffered tendonitis in his achillies, something that takes time to recover. Spikes in my eyes is a football player...plain and simple...he makes plays. You're correct, Selvie had an off year last year........everyone caught up to his play from an outstanding 2007 season. Selvie looks better this year and had a nice game vs FSU...a sack and a few pressures. Selvie is tenacious and hustles all the time. He is a game changer and forces many fumbles. Could fall into Rd 2 and someone will be getting a very good player. Again, great mock. It's always fun to talk about the draft, even this early. You certainly gave this board a kick in the butt...nice to see some traffic.
I see your point, frankly Im for bigger guys at the DE spot. The teams with the best 3-4 D lines have big guys, I dont doubt Wootons ability but he is probably a great size for a 4-3 end, but perhaps not a 3-4 end. While I have seen a bit of Jones play (hope to see more) and I was unimpressed I would prefer him slightly over Wooton because of his size
I prefer Wooton over Jones. He is slightly smaller but I think he'd fit more into our system. But I don't think you could go wrong with either.
I would make the Jets the 32nd pick because we are winning the Super Bowl this year!! J-E-T-S.....JETS!!........JETS!!..........JETS!!
Agreed, 100%. I LOVE Jones, but as a 4-3 DT. Wootton or PSU's Jared Odrick are much more traditional 3-4 DE types.
What? Okung is perfectly suited to be a left tackle, I don't see where else he would play, he excels in pass protection.
While he's been tremendous at OK State, a lot of people seem to have reservations about his athletic ability, and whether it's good enough for him to handle some of the great edge rushers in the NFL. I know that a lot of teams have taken chances on guys without the great feet/athleticism and it's worked out OK, which is why he's still my top OT, but I wouldn't blame GMs if they felt he wasn't right for their teams. If Brian Bulaga really impresses now that he'll be back playing, he could jump him because he does possess that top level athleticism.
You're the first person I've heard question Okung's athletic ability, one of the reasons he is considered an early first round prospect is because of his athletic ability, he's a prototypical left tackle. It's his run blocking most have questions about, but he's not bad at that either.
