2008 NFL Mock Draft, v 2.0

1. Miami- Jake Long, OT, Michigan

Bill Parcells would be smart to build from the offensive line. Besides, new head coach Tony Sparano was the offensive line coach at Dallas and would fall in love with this kid's work ethic and tenacity.

2. St. Louis- Chris Long, DE, Virginia

Long has enough size and strength to play in a base 4-3 defense, but has the athleticism and versatility to play in a 3-4. He is a great all-around with some of the best hand usage we have ever seen. He should bring a lot of intensity to the Rams' pass rush.

3. Atlanta- Glenn Dorsey, DT, LSU

Well, let's see...he's the BPA and fills a huge need. Definitely would take him over Matt Ryan. Don't worry about his "health"; Dorsey is a hard worker and will not want to take plays off and should be the new face of the defense. Atlanta could certainly look for a QB with one of their 3 2nd-round picks.

4. Oakland- Vernon Gholston, DE, Ohio State

Al Davis is probably in love with this young man; and, who can blame him? He's chiseled, athletic, strong, and explosive. I think Gholston makes more sense here than McFadden; true, they don't have a dynamic tailback, but they have a solid group of guys that can get the job done. Oakland's defense could be a real threat in '08 and actually propel the Raiders to some wins.

5. Kansas City- Leodis McKelvin, CB, Troy State

The first surprise of the draft! I'm going more for need than value. I was thinking Ellis here, but I think the Chiefs were solid inside last year (correct me if I'm wrong). I think he can be a very good player and could be a very effective Cover-2 corner in Herm Edward's system. Ty Law and Patrick Surtain are good, but they are certainly long in the tooth. Plus, he has added value as a kick returner.

6. NY Jets- Darren McFadden, HB, Arkansas

This could end up to be a phenomenal pick and a real steal. McFadden would learn from a great veteran back in Thomas Jones and would complement Jones' shiftiness and power. I'm not completely sold on McFadden because of his ball securtiy and upright style, but I think he fell to a very good situation.

7. New England (from San Fran)- Derrick Harvey, DE/OLB, Florida

Harvey has been flying up draft boards after a great Combine. He certainly has the versatility to play in the base 3-4 or be a stand-up outside rusher. Either way, the Patriots know that you can never have too many pass rushers, especially after the abuse Tom Brady saw in the Super Bowl.

8. Baltimore- Ryan Clady, OT, Boise State

Really, Adam??? ANOTHER SURPRISE??? Well, I feel that this is the right pick for the Ravens. Jonathon Ogden has all but announced his retirement, and the Ravens are certainly in store for a quarterback, but they could give Troy Smith a shot; he looked decent towards the end of last year. Clady is the prototypical left tackle and it's a real shame that he got this far because he could be special in this league.

9. Cincinnati- Sedrick Ellis, DT, USC

The Bengals got the player they wanted the whole time. Ellis plays with outstanding leverage and explodes off the snap. He had an exceptional Senior Bowl and had a very strong showing at the Combine. If he works out well at his Pro Day, he could go even higher, but I think this is one of the surest picks in the draft.

10. New Orleans- Dominuque Rodgers-Cromartie, CB, Tennessee St.

The Saints corners were flat out embarassing last year. Bringing in some young competition would be good for this team. Sean Payton has some success with small-school players, so this could be another opportunity for him to grab another gem.

11. Buffalo- Malcolm Kelly, WR, Oklahoma

The Bills hit very well last year when they drafted both Marshawn Lynch and Trent Edwards. Now, if they had another WR to complement Lee Evans, they would have a great young nucleus of skill players. Kelly is the #1 receiver in this draft and should be able to develop into a potential #1.

12. Denver- Chris Williams, OT, Vanderbilt

Williams is a smart and athletic tackle. The Broncos haven't spent a high draft pick on a tackle lately because they could just plug them into their ZBS. However, they need some new talent at the tackle position and Williams is a great fit.

13. Carolina- Phillip Merling, DE, Clemson

Yes, he hasn't worked out for scouts, but he is a very complete defensive end. He defends the run and pass very well and is explosive off the edge. He would be a good complement to Julius Peppers, who is entering the final year of his contract.

14. Chicago- Jeff Otah, OT, Pittsburgh

He is big and physical and has great upside at the next level. However, the Bears would love to have an offensive lineman actually develop. All of their starters except for Kreutz have been picked up via free agency, and Kreutz came before Angelo took over as GM. I think Brandon Albert could also be a possibility.

15. Detroit- Aqib Talib, CB, Kansas

Wow, the Lions actually go defense in the 1st round...shocking, isn't it? Talib is a very fluid corner who could thrive in Marinelli's Cover-2 defense.

16. Arizona- Mike Jenkins, CB, South Florida

I was contemplating between Mendenhall and he, and I like the HB depth as opposed to corner depth later on. Jenkins is a very physical corner who loves to bump-and-run.

17. Minnesota- Limas Sweed, WR, Texas

Yes, they will pass on Matt Ryan; the staff really likes Tavaris Jackson and thinks he can be a big-time QB with time.I know they brought in Bernard Berrian via free agency, but I think they could certainly use another receiver to complement him. Sweed seems to be fully recovered from a wrist injury that made him sit out most of his senior year and workouts, but when you watch him on tape, he is an impressive athlete with great size and soft hands. Would be a great tool in developing Jackson.

18. Houston- Rashard Mendenhall, HB, Illinois

I think they have a more pressing need in the secondary, but this is certaint a need position and very good value. Mendenhall may have only been a one-year wonder, but has the power and low-center of gravity to be a tough physical runner.

19. Philadelphia- Devin Thomas, WR, Michigan St.

He's another one-year wonder, but he has the explosivenes, size, and physicality to succeed in the NFL. He may be one of the better after-the-catch guys in this draft.

20. Tampa Bay- Matt Ryan, QB, Boston College

I think he could be a solid fit in the West Coast Offense Gruden runs. Besides, they have way too many old QBs on their roster and no real #1 guy. Garcia has maybe a year or 2 left, so Ryan is the future. Could turn out to be a real steal.

21. Washington- Calais Campbell, DE, Miami FL

Campbell had a bit of a drop off his junior year in terms of productivity, but he still can be a very good DE in this league. He has incredible size and massive arms (36.5 inches). However, his incredible height may not allow him to get underneath tackles and drive them, so he'll need some work on his technique.

22. Dallas (from Cleveland)- DeSean Jackson, WR, California

He may be slight, but he is the most explosive receiver in this class and is so dangerous in the open field. Not to mention, he's a darn good return man. I would have put him at Tampa if Ryan wasn't on the board, but I think this is a very good situation for him to learn under TO.

23. Pittsburgh- Brandon Albert, OG, Virginia

Albert is a massive, athletic guard who also has potential to swing outside and play tackle. He finishes strong on plays and has a killer mentality. Would be a great fit for the Steelers with his style of play and character.

24. Tennessee- Kentwam Balmer, DT, North Carolina

No wide receiver is worth this spot in my eyes. Albert Haynesworth is great when he's healthy. However, the team lost Randy Starks and would love a young tackle to fill his void. There are no DEs available at this point.

25. Seattle- Fred Davis, TE, USC

It's a fight between Keller and he for the #1 TE in this draft. Keller is more explosive, but Davis is a better all-around prospect. He catches the ball well and knows what to do after the catch.

26. Jacksonville- Quentin Groves, DE, Auburn

 I think he's a very underrated player. He has a good motor and is very explosive off the edge. He doesn't have prototypical size, but he plays hard and would be a good fit on Jacksonville's defense.

27. San Diego- Gosder Cherilus, OT, Boston College

Cherilus didn't have a great senior year, but that was because he wasn't a very good LT. However, because of his size and feet, he can be a very good RT for the Chargers. I think the RB depth is good in this draft that San Diego can wait a while; I know they don't have 2nd and 3rd round picks.

28. Dallas- Felix Jones, HB, Arkansas

Another explosive playmaker for the 'Boys. He would be a great complement to Marion Barber's power. I think Stewart is rated higher, but given the fact that he's very similar to Barber is the reason why he won't be a Cowboy.

29. San Fran (from Indianapolis)- Mario Manningham, WR, Michigan

Don't let the 40 time fool you; this kid can fly. He may not have tested as well as people wanted, but when he puts those pads on, this kid can ball. He gets great separation and is another dangerous-after-the-catch-guy.

30. Green Bay- Reggie Smith, CB, Oklahoma

This would be a luxury pick for the Packers; they are stacked. However, Woodson and Harris aren't very young, and the depth behind them isn't that great. Smith is the CB of the future and would be a key player in nickel packages. Has the versatility to play safety.

31. New England- Forfeited

32. NY Giants- Kenny Phillips, S, Miami

Didn't have the junior year people expected, but he is a playmaker in the secondary and hits people very well. May not be in the same league as Sean Taylor (RIP) or Ed Reed, but he's going to be a very good player.

Would love to hear your input.

2nd round coming soon...hopefully.