29. San Francisco 49ers F/ Colts (5-11) Needs: OL, WR, DL, S, OLB
Gosder Cherilus OT Boston College
San Francisco should be picking #7, but traded for Joe Staley last year and only makes it back into the first round following a trade with Colts. Mike Nolan's job will be on the line and with new offensive coordinate Mike Martz, it will be up to the offense to pick up the slack on a team that had no offensive identity last season other than "sloppy."
The 49ers have not had an explosive receiver since TO left and could really use one here so James Hardy and Mario Manningham remain options. However, the 49ers got DeShaun Foster and have Frank Gore and will need to open lanes up to ease the burden on Alix Smith.
Gosder Cherilus disappointed to some degree as a senior, but has the physical tools to be a mauler at tackle. The 49ers pick again at the top of the second and should have a chance to add a solid wide receiver there, something I expect them to do.
30. Green Bay Packers (13-3) Needs: CB, TE, OL, LB, DE
Brandon Flowers CB Virginia Tech
Green Bay has the opportunity here to do a number of things. They could take the best safety in this class and bolster their depth at the position. They could take the best tight end in the class and give Aaron Rodgers another weapon on a team full of play makers. They could also take an offensive lineman like Sam Baker to add depth behind the aging tackles already in place.
However, with the way Eli Manning torched this vaunted Packer secondary, I expect to see the physical former Hokie at this spot. Flowers could be a top 15 pick if he had run a little faster at the combine. He plays the the kind of physical confident man to man game that the Packers have made so successful with Al Harris and Charles Woodson.
Depth at the position is not great, and at the very least Flowers could well be in a nickel/dime role and a big contributor on special teams right away.
31.New York Giants (10-6) Needs: LB, DB, WR, OL
Kenny Phillips S Miami (Florida)
Superb depth may not be the reason the Giants won the Super Bowl, but they will get to add depth here with the 31st pick. Without a true glaring need, the Giants can take whomever they feel has the most value here. A linebacker like Penn State's Dan Connor would upgrade an overachieving line backing core.
However, Phillips makes the most sense with the loss of Gibril Wilson. The former Hurricane was considered a top 15 pick before disappointing work outs and a sub-standard junior campaign. Phillips was a great defensive player at Miami as a sophomore and has enough potential to be a solid safety for the Giants.
New York has plenty of defensive backs, just none about whom you can really be excited. Phillips has that element in his game and can bring some excitement and tenacity to this already stellar Giants defense.
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