2010 NFL Mock Draft: Final First Round Mock: Marshall Trade Shakes up Picks

1. St. Louis Rams Select: Sam Bradford, QB, Oklahoma

Previous Selection: Sam Bradford, QB, Oklahoma

The Rams need everything and most importantly a franchise quarterback. Marc Bulger’s release pretty much made this pick official.

Sam Bradford is the best quarterback in the draft and proved as much at his pro day. He showed that his shoulder is ready to go and that he is even stronger now than before his injury.

2. Detroit Lions Select: Ndamukong Suh, DT, Nebraska

Previous Selection: Ndamukong Suh, DT, Nebraska

The Lions need help everywhere and I’m sure the Lions will be tempted to grab the best Lineman in this year's draft, Russell Okung, as their offensive line was horrendous last season and they have their own franchise quarterback to protect.

However I believe Suh is the best overall player in the entire draft and he will help the Lions equally horrendous defense tremendously. Suh has one of the best motors in this draft and will be a beast in the trenches. He made a living in the opposing team's backfield in college and I believe he will anchor the Lions defensive line for years to come.

3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers Select: Gerald McCoy, DT, Oklahoma

Previous Selection: Gerald McCoy, DT, Oklahoma

The Buccaneers need defensive help in the worst way and McCoy is just as disruptive and has slightly quicker feet than even Suh. I myself can’t even name a defensive lineman on the Buccaneers roster after they traded the late Gaines Adams to the Bears last season.

Just like Suh I believe McCoy will be able to vastly improve the Buccaneers' defense. If anything he will help stop the run. McCoy is a carbon copy of Warren Sapp and the Bucs will not pass up on that opportunity.

4. Washington Redskins Select: Russel Okung, OT, Oklahoma State

I do not believe the McNabb trade will have much effect on this pick, and with the retirement of Chris Samuels I do not see how the Redskins can pass up on the best offensive lineman in the draft. If Mike Shanahan wants McNabb to be the franchise quarterback he is capable of, he needs to be able to protect him.

Okung is the best tackle in the draft and should step in on day one as the starting left tackle in Washington for years to come.

5. Kansas City Chiefs Select: Brian Bulaga, OT, Iowa

Previous Selection: Eric Berry, S, Tennessee

When I made my first mock I previously had Eric Berry going here because he is the best available player and will make any defense immediately better. However now that I’ve thought about it I believe that Pioli will continue to build through the trenches and will select Bulaga from Iowa.

Bulaga will be the starting right tackle day one if that’s what they want and I believe he could work to be the left tackle and protect Matt Cassel’s blind side.

6. Seattle Seahawks Select: Trent Williams, OT, Oklahoma

Previous Selection: Jimmy Clausen, QB, Notre Dame

Former San Diego quarterback Charlie Whitehurst is now the quarterback of the future and the Seahawks will not select a quarterback this high. They have a glaring weakness at tackle with the impending departure of future Hall of Famer Walter Jones.

Trent Williams can play left or right tackle and even played a little center in college and the Seahawks make this pick to upgrade their offensive line.

7. Cleveland Browns Select: Eric Berry, S, Tennesee

Previous Selection: Joe Haden, CB, Florida

With the AFC North quickly becoming a passing division with Flacco, Big Ben, and Carson Palmer, the Browns will need to keep adding to their improving yet still struggling defense. Even with the trade for Sheldon Brown the Browns need some major help in the secondary.

Eric Berry has the skill set to be the next Ed Reed or Troy Polamalu and is the third-best player in the entire draft in my opinion.

8. Oakland Raiders Select: Jason Pierre-Paul, DE, South Florida

Previous Selection: Jason Pierre-Paul, DE, South Florida

All you have to do every year is look at whoever had the best combine and you will be able to predict the Raiders' pick. Al Davis never goes by conventional wisdom no matter what the team actually needs and no matter which prospect actually deserves to be drafted this high in the draft.

Jason Pierre-Paul is a pass rushing talent who is a workout warrior and a one-hit wonder in college. The Raiders need an OT but he just seems like the type of raw talent Al Davis loves to grab.

9. Buffalo Bills Select: Anthony Davis, OT, Rutgers

Previous Selection: Bryan Bulaga, OT, Iowa

Anthony Davis’s stock has been on the decline over the past few weeks due to his curious handling of this offseason before the draft. The Bills need to get better up front and Davis is the best OT left in the draft at this point.

Davis is going to immediately improve the porous Buffalo offensive line and the Bills finally try to protect whatever quarterback they have back there.

10. Jacksonville Jaguars Select: Earl Thomas, S/CB, Texas

Previous Selection: Anthony Davis, OT, Rutgers

The Jaguars are always a tough pick to make as they have made some curious decisions in the past in the first round. The Jaguars could use a pass rusher and secondary help in the worst way.

Earl Thomas is quickly rising up draft boards and some believe he is actually the No. 1 safety in the draft and is athletic enough to platoon at corner if needed.

11. Denver Broncos Select: Dez Bryant, WR, Oklahoma State

Previous Selection: Earl Thomas, S/CB, Texas

With Brandon Marshall being traded to the Dolphins. the Broncos are in need of a No. 1 wide receiver. They have some glaring needs on defense, which could be addressed with this pick. However I can’t see how they pass on Bryant here.

After dealing with Marshall’s problems the Broncos will be able to deal with any character issues Bryant brings to the table. Bryant is a tough receiver with good hands and decent speed who will excel in Josh McDaniels’s offense.

12. Miami Dolphins Select: Dan Williams, DT, Tennesee

Previous Selection: Dan Williams, DT, Tennessee

The Dolphins could surprise me and take Sergio Kindle with this pick. However I believe this should be an easy decision for Parcells and the front office. Jason Ferguson is suspended for the first eight games of the upcoming season and the Dolphins only have two other defensive tackles on the roster.

Dan Williams is the consensus No. 3 defensive tackle in this draft and the perfect fit for the Dolphins. 3-4 nose tackles are hard to come by and Williams will step right in to the starting lineup with Miami.

13. San Francisco 49ers Select: Joe Haden, CB, Florida

Previous Selection: Jared Odrick, DT, Penn State

The 49ers' secondary was pretty bad last season and veteran Nate Clements has been disappointing at best at living up to that big contract. The best cover corner in the draft falls right into Mike Singletary’s lap.

Haden is a great character guy and runs faster than people give him credit for. He will compete for a starting spot this season and will contribute on special teams.

14. Seattle Seahawks Select: C.J. Spiller, RB, Clemson

Previous Selection: Trent Williams, OT, Oklahoma State

Pete Carroll already got his franchise tackle with Trent Williams at the sixth spot in the draft and now it is time to draft a weapon for him to block for. Carroll loves having a Reggie Bush or Joe McKnight type of player and Spiller is as explosive as both of them.

Spiller has the speed and playmaking ability to score from anywhere on the field. Pete Carroll will love designing ways to get him the ball from receiving, running, or even returning kicks. The Seahawks need the excitement that Spiller will bring to the table.

15. New York Giants Select: Rolando McClain, ILB, Alabama

Previous Selection: Rolando McClain, ILB, Alabama

The New York Giants defense was terrible last season and mostly because of the non-existent pass rush. For this reason most people think they will select a defensive lineman with this pick. However I believe that their d-line just had a down year and they will pick it up again this season.

McClain is the best linebacker in the draft and I have heard him compared to Patrick Willis. With Antonio Pierce gone McClain will step in and be the leader the Giants defense greatly needs.

16. Tennesee Titans Select: Derrick Morgan, DE, Georgia Tech

Previous Selection: Derrick Morgan, DE, Georgia Tech

I really do not see the Titans taking any other player at this position in the draft. They lost both Jevon Kearse and Kyle Vanden Bosch to free agency and need to replenish their defensive line.

The Titans always build through the trenches and this is the best pick in this situation. Derrick Morgan is the perfect fit for a 4-3 defensive end and is one of the best pass rushing talents in the draft.

17. San Francisco 49ers Select: Mike Iupati, G, Idaho

Previous Selection: Taylor Mays, FS, USC

The 49ers are an up-and-coming team in the NFL and they need to continue to improve their offensive line. They already got defensive help with their first pick in CB Joe Haden and now they give some help to OT Joe Staley on the offensive line.

Iupati is a great character guy and is the best guard in the draft. There are some who even believe that Iupati has the ability to kick outside to tackle eventually.

18. Pittsburgh Steelers Select: Maurkice Pouncey, C, Florida

Previous Selection: Kyle Wilson, CB, Boise State

The Steelers have a few needs and I can see them going a few different ways with this pick. I really like Kyle Wilson out of Boise State. However I feel like with the trade of Santonio Holmes the Steelers are going to try to get back to running the football. To do that, they are going to need to upgrade the offensive line.

Pouncey is the best center in the draft and maybe the best interior offensive lineman. He will be able to start day one at guard and then replace Justin Hartwig at center eventually.

19. Atlanta Falcons Select: Brandon Graham, OLB, Michigan

Previous Selection: Sergio Kindle, LB, Texas

The Falcons have two glaring weaknesses in my opinion in pass rush and corner. I know they signed Dunta Robinson, however they only have three other corners on the roster behind him so I would not be surprised if they took a corner with this pick.

In the end I think they go with Graham out of Michigan, who is a tough, smart, pass rusher. I agree that he is more suited as a 3-4 linebacker, but I just have a feeling that the Falcons will take him because he is the best pass rusher left at this point.

20. Houston Texans Select: Kyle Wilson, CB, Boise State

Previous Selection: C.J. Spiller, RB, Clemson

I believe the draft has unfolded exactly the way the Texans wanted it to this point. They just lost their starting corner Dunta Robinson in free agency and with Peyton Manning in the division they need all the cornerback help they can get.

Wilson is the best corner in the draft in my opinion and the Texans will gladly add his ball-hawking skills and return ability to their roster.

21. Cincinnati Bengals Select: Jermaine Gresham, TE, Oklahoma

Previous Selection: Jermaine Gresham, TE, Oklahoma

With pretty much all of the AFC North becoming offensively oriented you either need to get better weapons or get players to stop those weapons. The Bengals could very easily go with Taylor Mays here to help stop the other offenses in the division.

However I just have a feeling that Marvin Lewis is going to surround Carson Palmer with the last offensive weapon lacking on the Bengals. Gresham would have been a top-15 player without his injury and will be a security blanket to Carson Palmer and will take the pressure off the outside receivers.

22. New England Patriots Select: Sergio Kindle, LB, Texas

Previous Selection: Mike Iupati, G, Idaho

The Patriots are always one of the toughest teams to predict in the draft, as they always seem to surprise with their picks and they rarely miss on a first rounder. The Patriots seem to have something against Adalius Thomas and I’ve been hearing rumors that Jerod Mayo wants out of New England so a linebacker makes sense for them here.

They need to get more of a pass rush and Kindle seems to be the player they are targeting. He has the size and length that Belichick likes for his linebackers and will be able to rush the edge in their 3-4 defense.

23. Green Bay Packers Select: Charles Brown, OT, USC

Previous Selection: Bruce Campbell, OT, Maryland

It was pretty well documented that the Packers could not protect their franchise quarterback Aaron Rodgers last season. They need defensive back help also. However to succeed they need to keep Rodgers upright.

To help their aging offensive line they make a bit of a reach here with the converted tight end Brown out of USC. He is athletic enough to play either side of the line and is good insurance in case either Chad Clifton or Mark Tauscher go down with an injury, which both are prone to doing.

24. Philadelphia Eagles Select: Taylor Mays, S, USC

Previous Selection: Ryan Mathews, RB, Fresno State

The Eagles need help at pretty much every area on defense and you can never count out Andy Reid taking an offensive lineman here. They still have not been able to replace the presence that Brian Dawkins was in the secondary.

Mays is one of the most physical players in this draft regardless of position. He is a missile in the secondary and that is part of why he has dropped this far in the first place. He will bring that tenacity back to the secondary lost with the departure of Dawkins.

25. Baltimore Ravens Select: Patrick Robinson, CB, Florida State

Previous Selection: Patrick Robinson, CB, Florida State

The Ravens defense is always one of the best in the league every season. However the Ravens need to start getting younger at almost every position on that side of the ball. With Ed Reed getting older and starting to get injured the secondary was taken advantage of last season.

Robinson has good size and doesn’t shy away from helping in the run game. He is just the athletic type of corner that the Ravens love to have. Other than being a solid special teams player, Robinson will push for playing time in his rookie season and will take the starting spot in time.

26. Arizona Cardinals Select: Jerry Hughes, OLB, TCU

Previous Selection: Brandon Graham, OLB, Michigan

The Cardinals have suffered major defensive losses this offseason with Carlos Dansby and Antrel Rolle departing. They tried to sure up their secondary with the trade for Kerry Rhodes to replace Rolle however have yet to address their pass rush need.

Jerry Hughes is a name that is shooting up boards as we get closer to the draft. He will step in day one and make that linebacker core better either as an immediate starter or a dynamic backup.

27. Dallas Cowboys Select: Demaryius Thomas, WR, Georgia Tech

Previous Selection: Dez Bryant, WR, Oklahoma State

I really believe that Jerry Jones truly wants Dez Bryant to fall to him here, however in this mock I believe Bryant is already gone. I can see Jones reaching for the next best offensive lineman here also to sure up the protection for Tony Romo.

With Bryant gone, Thomas is just the raw talent that Jerry Jones covets. He will be able to learn for a year under Austin and company and step into the starting role when Roy Williams leaves the team.

28. San Diego Chargers Select: Terrence Cody, DT, Alabama

Previous Selection: Jahvid Best, RB, California

With the release of Jamal Williams there is a huge void in the middle of the Chargers' defensive line. There is only one true 3-4 nose tackle with a high enough grade to be in the first round.

Terrence “Mount” Cody is going to anchor the Chargers defensive line and completely plug up the line of scrimmage. Many people have criticized him for his weight control however I believe he will be a force in the league for a long time.

29. New York Jets Select: Carlos Dunlap, DE, Florida

Previous Selection: Carlos Dunlap, DE, Florida

The Jets have been the most active team in free agency this offseason with moves ranging from Santonio Holmes to LaDainian Tomlinson. With all of their moves they have left themselves with very few needs going into the draft.

This may be a reach. However I believe that Dunlap just has that swagger that Rex Ryan loves and can coach up. Dunlap is a freakish athlete with attitude problems that will not be a problem in Ryan’s locker room.

30. Minnesota Vikings Select: Kareem Jackson, CB, Alabama

Previous Selection: Brian Price, DT, UCLA

Despite making it to the NFC Championship game the Vikings do have some glaring needs on defense. Their secondary was completely exposed and the Williams’ brothers are not going to play forever.

With this said I believe the Vikings go with Jackson to sure up those problems in the secondary. Jackson will not be asked to start right away and will be able to learn under Cedric Griffin and Antoine Winfield. He will add some much needed depth and insurance in case either Griffin or Winfield get injured.

31. Indianapolis Colts Select: Jared Odrick, DT, Penn State

Previous Selection: Maurkice Pouncey, C, Florida

The Colts defense has been a work in progress it seems like forever and is no different this offseason going into the draft. With the loss of Marlin Jackson I can see the Colts going corner with this pick. However I believe defensive line is a much bigger need.

Odrick is one of the most versatile linemen in the draft and can fit into any scheme the Colts want to use. The Colts have been looking for a consistent force at that defensive tackle position and will find that force in Odrick.

32. New Orleans Saints Select: Sean Weatherspoon, LB, Missouri

Previous Selection: Sean Weatherspoon, LB, Missouri

The Superbowl champion Saints suffered some defensive losses in Charles Grant and Scott Fujita. Don't forget Darren Sharper is still up in the air. They added some relief when they signed DE Alex Brown this week. With this signing I think the Saints will be able to focus on a different position in which they have less depth.

Sean Weatherspoon has great athleticism and is a good character player and leader. He is a prototypical 4-3 linebacker and will be starting next to Jonathon Vilma day one.