Final NFL Mock Draft: New Top Pick, Bryant Slipping? (Part I)

After months of debating, second guessing and arguing, the NFL draft is finally here. Players who were projected to be top ten picks have slid to the bottom of the first round. Middle to late round projections have vaulted themselves into the top ten. It seems ridiculous that so many dramatic changes regarding the outlook of the draft could happen in such little time. However, after the physical testing, one-on-one interviews, pro days and intelligence tests, teams are beginning to consolidate their big boards.

In a little under a week, players will finally realize their lifelong dreams and be drafted by an NFL organization. For those who are picked, from the first selection to the very last selection, this will be a monumental moment in their lives. Some will have more successful careers and some will make more money but in the end, this first step is the most important one for all of them. That is getting drafted and signing their first professional contract.

There have been various free agent signings and trades that will without question change the landscape of the first round of this year's NFL draft. At the end of the college football season, it appeared that Ndamukong Suh out of Nebraska was the consensus number one pick. After much deliberation about the landscape of the 2010 NFL draft, it appears that there is a new front runner to be selected first overall. I will take a look at the top ten picks in the 2010 NFL draft.

1. St. Louis Rams: QB Sam Bradford, Oklahoma
Throughout the entire process, the St. Louis Rams have needed a quarterback for the future. However, many experts and fans expected that they would go with Suh here because of his projection as a "sure thing" and "one of the best prospects at defensive tackle in years." Despite incredible performances at the NFL Combine and a college career full of accolades, the Rams appear to be looking to fill a bigger need. They want a quarterback and believe that Sam Bradford is their guy. He had one of the best Pro Day performances in years, completing over 95% of his passes. Not only did he pass the eye test, he passed the physical tests and appears to have no problems with his shoulder.

One has to wonder if Bradford will be able to compete at the NFL level though. He was successful at Oklahoma when he had a great offensive line but with an inexperienced line, he got hammered and made poor decisions and didn't look like he could take a hit. Despite these negatives, it is important to acknowledge Bradford's knowledge of the game and his willingness to put forth an extra effort to get a few more yards to win the game.

2. Detroit Lions: DT Ndamukong Suh, Nebraska
As previously noted, Suh was considered the consensus number one pick for months and even performed well when put to the test by NFL scouts and coaches. Suh has stood out at every point of the pre-draft process; unfortunately the Rams had a very pressing need for a quarterback. Many experts still believe that Ndamukong Suh is the best player available and that he will have a very successful NFL career. The Lions have been blessed that he is going to fall right into their lap. A few months ago, they were expecting the consolation prize in the Gerald McCoy vs. Ndamukong Suh debate and were certainly excited about that. With the Rams likely taking Bradford, they will get to choose who their favorite of the two is.

The Lions have a lot of leverage with this pick. They could trade down if necessary, but that is unlikely and history at the #2 pick shows that it probably won't happen. It is pretty much a coin flip between McCoy and Suh, but Suh's versatility gives him the edge, especially after they traded for Corey Williams. Williams is general considered a 3-technique tackle and you could move Suh around, while McCoy would probably have issues adjusting to Williams. The Lions can't go wrong with either of them though.

3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: DT Gerald McCoy, Oklahoma
It would be wise to bet that Gerald McCoy will be selected shortly after teammate Sam Bradford. He has been considered one of the prizes of the draft for quite some time. He is an intelligent player who has a very high motor. Those are exactly the qualities that a team expects out of a player who could be the cornerstone of their defense. McCoy's ceiling is very high and he still has room to grow. That must be a scary thought for players on the other side of the ball.

The Bucs are a young team with a lot of potential. They have many needs to fill, but you can't fill them all with one draft pick. It would be best if they just picked the best player available and that is Gerald McCoy. This selection won't be easy though, as they still may consider drafting Russell Okung to be their franchise left tackle or Eric Berry to be the leader of their inexperienced secondary.

4. Washington Redskins: OT Russell Okung, Oklahoma State
The state of Oklahoma will be well represented in this draft. Oklahoma State's Russell Okung is projected to be a high pick and appears to be the best offensive tackle available. In my last mock draft, I discussed the quarterback issue and considered it resolved. Months later though, the issue is resolved but there is a different guy at the helm. That is Donovan McNabb as opposed to Jason Campbell.

The Redskins made a trade for McNabb and are expecting him to make a huge impact on their team. This makes the decision of drafting an offensive tackle over a quarterback much easier for the Redskins. I don't think anything has changed in Washington. Their offensive line was poor last year and didn't help Jason Campbell, who was a shaky player to begin with.

5. Kansas City Chiefs: S Eric Berry, Tennessee
The Chiefs made some noise this past offseason by signing workhorse running back Thomas Jones via free agency. While this gave them some firepower in the backfield, none of their voids along the offensive line or defense were filled. They also could use an upgrade at quarterback but with Matt Cassel signed at a lofty price of ~$15 million, they can't afford to take a quarterback here. They may look for one in the later rounds, but not at five. It wouldn't hurt to add another wideout either, but with Dez Bryant being a supposed headcase, it wouldn't be wise to take him here.

This is Kansas City's chance to draft a playmaker and a leader on defense in Eric Berry.  Many people are skeptical about taking safeties this high in the draft, but Berry appears to be a sure thing and has the football IQ and athleticism to succeed in the NFL. In three seasons, Berry made 241 tackles and intercepted 14 passes. That's production, something the Kansas City secondary lacked in 2009.

6. Seattle Seahawks: QB Jimmy Clausen, Notre Dame
When Pete Carroll took over as head coach and VP of football operations, Seattle fans prepared themselves for major changes. The team has already began to make additions at the skill positions on offense and defensive end. The team added Mike Williams and Reggie Williams and should be all set at wide receiver next year with T.J. Houshmandzadeh already signed through 2013. They also traded for Chris Clemons and Robert Henderson to add some depth to a weak defensive end position. While they could stand to draft a defensive end at six, there's no player talented enough or with a high enough ceiling worth taking a chance on.

Matt Hasselbeck has been Seattle's steady quarterback for a little over a decade. Hasselbeck has shown signs of rapid decline though and his time in Seattle is almost up. At USC, Pete Carroll always had a personal relationship with his quarterback and enjoys watching them grow. By taking Jimmy Clausen, Carroll would get a chance to get a young quarterback that he can call his own. Clausen played in a pro-style offense at Notre Dame and is believed to be an upper echelon quarterback in this draft class. With Clausen being the best quarterback on the board by far, Seattle would regret passing up on him here as the dropoff is so significant from Clausen to Colt McCoy or Tim Tebow.

7. Cleveland Browns: CB Joe Haden, Florida
One of the most active teams this offseason has been the Cleveland Browns. Mike Holmgren has done a very sufficient job as the team's president. He brought in Jake Delhomme and Senecca Wallace to compete for the starting quarterback job. It's an interesting situation because just last year Derek Anderson and Brady Quinn were the two QB's competing for the starting job. After Holmgren came in, Quinn was traded to Denver and Anderson was released. With no top tier quarterback available, as Clausen and Bradford both are off the board, the Browns have a few different directions they could go.

With a big void at wide receiver, Cleveland could take Oklahoma State's Dez Bryant here. Bryant's character is in question though and Cleveland already has enough problems on the field. They don't need a locker room issue. They may also decide they want a safety. This draft is full of safeties though and it would be more safe financially to wait until round two or three to draft a safety. The Browns could do many things, but they should take cornerback Joe Haden here. They traded for Sheldon Brown but Haden has the potential to be a superstar in the secondary. Haden has the size and speed to be successful but what puts him at the top of this group of cornerbacks is his ability to read routes. This would be a very safe pick for the Browns and Haden would be able to immediately step in and contribute.

8. Oakland Raiders: OT Bryan Bulaga, Iowa
Unfortunately for Raiders fans, Al Davis has turned a once proud franchise into a pathetic team with absolutely no direction. Year after year they make mistakes in the first round and Davis' arrogance has scared off free agents. The only major acquisition they have made in the offseason was Kyle Boller at quarterback. If Oakland can find a player to protect JaMarcus Russell's blind side, he may have a bit more success. Granted, Russell hasn't improved as the Raiders offensive line has grown. However, if they can add one more piece, he may be able to gain confidence in  the pocket and show off the arm strength he was heralded for going into the 2007 draft.

Bryan Bulaga was my pick in the last mock draft I published and nothing has changed. Many are questioning whether Bulaga is just good as opposed to great, but he has shown enough to earn himself a spot in the top ten. He is an excellent pass blocker and has shown improvement in run blocking. It would be a questionable move to take any other tackle here, despite some of his supposed weaknesses such as shorter than expected arms. Bulaga had great workouts and appears to have a good grasp of what it takes to be successful at the NFL level. Iowa also has a tradition of sending quality offensive linemen to the NFL.

9. Buffalo Bills: OT Anthony Davis, Rutgers
With many of the AFC East teams making big splashes in free agency and on the trade market, the Bills have to be in panic mode. They are likely going to stay at the basement of the division unless they make a complete overhaul. There are likely no players at this pick who are going to change their fortunes and they may be better off trading it. This team is in need of depth at many positions but nobody can predict what moves they will make. While the fans will be calling for a franchise quarterback or a #1 wide receiver, their lack of depth on the offensive line prevents them from taking either one of those.

If the Bills keep this pick, they are going to have to take an offensive tackle. While their need for a quarterback is more urgent, if they can't get Clausen or Bradford, they might as well get somebody who can protect the quarterbacks they already have. Anthony Davis of Rutgers will be their guy. He is a great pass blocker and would be a valuable selection at 9. At 6'5'', 325, he can immediately replace Demetrius Bell. Bell suffered a knee injury in November that ended his season after starting the season at left tackle. The team was never able to find a replacement and struggled after a solid start.

10. Jacksonville Jaguars: WR Dez Bryant,Oklahoma State
The Jacksonville Jaguars are struggling to put fans in the seats and many fans have been calling for them to draft former Florida Gator Tim Tebow. Drafting Tebow at 10 would be a mortal sin though and one of the most questionable picks in NFL history. While he would put fans in the seats, he would probably struggle on the field and never live up to his rookie contract.

The Jaguars have managed to fill their most pressing need in the offseason by signing Aaron Kampman to play defensive end. They were one of the worst teams in the league last season at getting to the quarterback, but Kampman will surely improve that. He played in the 3-4 last year for the Green bay Packers and was clearly uncomfortable there after having a success career prior to that in the 4-3. Back in the 4-3 defense, Kampman should once again be a force and improve their pass rush.

With that said, the Jaguars should look to take a #1 receiver. Dez Bryant of Oklahoma State fits the bill. He has had some question marks regarding his character, but his talent level is unquestionable and unmatched in this class. At the moment, the Jaguars best receiver may be Kassim Osgood and no team is going to win in that situation. If they bring Bryant in and make him their top receiver, their future looks bright and they become a more explosive offense. The threat of Bryant downfield will open up things for Maurice Jones-Drew and add more balance to the offense.

     The top ten of this draft is sure to include a lot of interior linemen and a lot of players from the state of Oklahoma. There is expected to be a fair share of trades, with a possible lockout and an uncapped year looming. Bradford has essentially assured himself the top spot and the only thing standing in between him and the #1 pick is money.

     Tune in next time for Part II of my mock draft series! This will be the final mock draft and I will take a look at picks 11-20 in the next edition. Keep your eyes out for it!