2010 NFL Mock Draft—First Round: Non-Playoff Teams Only

'Tis the season for the 2010 NFL Mock Draft bonanza!

One of the best parts of the NFL offseason is all the mock drafts that are produced and updated over and over again.

This is very entertaining and a great way to keep fans clued into who their team could possibly draft in April.

The following is a mock of only the first round, non-playoff teams in the upcoming draft since there is no real telling where playoff teams will end up there is no real reason to make any predictions for them until after the Super Bowl.

No. 1: St. Louis Rams—Jimmy Clausen, Quarterback, Notre Dame

The latest rumors out of Rams headquarters is that quarterback Marc Bulger may be retiring.

Whether this is true or not, it will be very hard for the Rams to pass up on Suh on defense, but if a team does not have a solid starting quarterback, then that team will struggle (Just ask Browns fans).

Clausen is a project and may need to sit a full season until he is ready to step in as the starter since he is leaving college a year early and still has much to learn.

The Rams will be patient and groom their future franchise quarterback.

No. 2: Detroit Lions—Ndamukong Suh, Defensive Tackle, Nebraska

Suh was easily the defensive player of the year in college football for 2009.

The Lions still have many holes to fill and picking a big body like Suh helps to shore up their defensive line, which head coach Jim Schwartz would love since Suh can not only rush the passer, but play the run very well too.

No. 3: TRADE ALERT, Seattle Seahawks (from Tampa Bay)—Sam Bradford, Quarterback, Oklahoma

In the first trade of the first round, the Seahawks are worried that the Redskins might draft Bradford so they trade up with the Buccaneers to secure their new quarterback of the future.

Now that coach Jim Mora is out, it is quite obvious that the Seahawks are in full rebuilding mode and they will look toward the future sitting Bradford for his rookie year so he can learn under Matt Haselbeck, since it will be Hasselbeck's final year on his contract.

Bradford may have to play later in the 2010 season, but he will learn under Hasselbeck.

No. 4: Washington Redskins—Russell Okung, Offensive Tackle, Oklahoma State

Now that Mike Shanahan is coach, he has given a vote of confidence to quarterback Jason Campbell and since Campbell is in the last year of his contract, it is a low risk if he doesn't work out.

Plus it doesn't help that the Seahawks took Bradford, who the Redskins wanted but instead they will pick a quarterback later in the draft to groom.

In the meantime, to beef up the offensive line, the Redskins go with Okung, who will not only help protect Campbell in 2010, but he will help whoever the quarterback may be beyond 2010.

No. 5: Kansas City Chiefs—Anthony Davis, Offensive Tackle, Rutgers

The Chiefs need to protected quarterback Matt Cassel and Davis will be a covering his back for many, many years.

No. 6: Tampa Bay Buccaneers (from trade with Seattle)—Gerald McCoy, Defensive Tackle, Oklahoma

The Bucs have many holes to fill on their roster, but getting a big man in the middle of the defense is one of the safest and most logical picks to make.

No. 7: Cleveland Browns—Eric Berry, Safety, Tennessee

Browns fans everywhere rejoice as they cannot believe that Berry is still on the board!

A huge fan favorite right now and with starter Brodney Pool experiencing too many concussions early in his career, the Browns need a stud in the defensive backfield and Berry is their man.

In the AFC North, the Browns have to face safeties Troy Polamalu and Ed Reed twice each year and now they will have their own safety that other AFC North teams should fear for years.

No. 8: Oakland Raiders—Tim Tebow, Quarterback, Florida

Raiders owner Al Davis is known to reach for players and just pick the guy he wants.

He is also been known to fall in love with big-time athletes and he surprises everyone in the NFL with picking Tebow this high in the first round.

There are lots of questions at quarterback for the Raiders, and Tebow will be the next to try and solve their problems.

Does this pick really come as a surprise?

No. 9: Buffalo Bills—Bruce Campbell, Offensive Tackle, Maryland

The Bills have weapons on offense, but revamping the offensive line will help both in their passing game and running attack in 2010.

No. 10: Denver Broncos (from Chicago)—Dez Bryant, Wide Receiver, Oklahoma State

It is quite obvious that current star receiver Brandon Marshall will not be in a Broncos uniform for the 2010 regular season, and the Broncos will get their next No. 1 receiver when they choose Bryant.

He may have been suspended for most of the 2009 college season, but he will be no where close to a problem like Marshall is.

No. 11: Jacksonville Jaguars—Derrick Morgan, Defensive End, Georgia Tech

The Jaguars gave up a ton of yards on defense and they need players on every level of their defensive unit.

Morgan is the first part of the puzzle in solidifying the Jaguars defense.

No. 12: Miami Dolphins—CJ Spiller, Running Back, Clemson

Running back Ronnie Brown continues to fight the injury bug in his career, and the Dolphins snatch up Spiller to not only help on offense by running and catching the ball, but Spiller will help out as a returner, and in the Wildcat too.

An unconventional pick for a team that has Ricky Williams on board, but Spiller is a talent that the Dolphins cannot pass up.

No. 13: San Francisco 49ers—Joe Haden, Cornerback, Florida

Coach Mike Singletary is a defensive guy and he gets a solid defender in Haden who can step in a be a starter on opening day.

Haden has the attributes to be a top man-to-man cover corner in the NFL.

No. 14: Seattle Seahawks (from Denver)—Carlos Dunlap, Defensive End, Florida

Dunlap is a beast and will step into the Seahawks' starting defensive lineup on day one.

The Seahawks need as much talent on both sides of the ball as they can get and Dunlap will give them a solid overall defender on the line.

No. 15: TRADE ALERT!, Pittsburgh Steelers (from NY Giants)—Taylor Mays, Safety, USC

Troy Polamalu continues to have injuries and the Steelers trade up with the Giants, which is unconventional for the Steelers to do, because they want Mays and also know that the 49ers could use him too, so they jump ahead of the 49ers.

Mays is a giant of a player to be in the defensive backfield, but when you play with a guy as talented as Polamalu, you will be learning from one of the best ever to play the position.

A Mays and Polamalu combination will give offenses across the NFL nightmares.

No. 16: San Francisco 49ers—Brian Bulaga, Offensive Tackle, Iowa

The 49ers need to protect Alex Smith and open bigger holes in the running game for Frank Gore.

Enter Bulaga who will start for the 49ers and shore up the offensive line.

No. 17: Tennessee Titans—Jason Pierre-Paul, Defensive End, South Florida

The Titans No. 1 need is at defensive end and even though Pierre-Paul is from a smaller school, he still has a tremendous amount of talent and potential to be a very good pass rusher at the NFL level.

No. 18: New York Giants (from trade with Pittsburgh)—Brian Price, Defensive Tackle, UCLA

The Giants need to get more beef in the middle of their line, but they still have many more holes that need to be filled on their defense before the 2010 season begins.

There is no way they let as many teams beat them as bad as they got beaten in many games in 2009.

No. 19: Atlanta Falcons, Golden Tate—Wide Receiver, Notre Dame

Tate will dazzle at the NFL Combine, which will push him into the middle of the first round. Even though the Falcons have talent at receiver, they cannot pass up the playmaking potential of Tate on their already potent offense.

Tate will give the Falcons similar versatility that Percy Harvin gave the Vikings in 2009.

No. 20: Houston Texans—Brandon LaFell, Wide Receiver, LSU

Hoping to land Tate, but missing by one pick, the Texans need to give their superstar receiver, Andre Johnson, more help and LaFell will be able to not only learn from one of the best in Johnson, but he will contribute admirably in 2010 under his mentor's guidance.

Some say the Texans need another running back, but giving Johnson more help will open up lanes for back Steve Slaton who struggled in 2009 after having a breakout rookie season in 2008.