2009 NFL Mock Draft: Top 10

My old high school football coach used to have an old favorite saying comparing "opinions" to a particular body part, saying "everyone has one and they all stink." So I write this article with some trepidation knowing that virtually all NFL fans will opine as to their own favorite teams' picks.

Most of these opinions will change a day after the NFL combine, but it is none-the-less fun to dream that this years first found pick will take your team to the promised land.

I am limiting my mock to the first ten picks because, quite frankly, every other team will adjust accordingly after knowing who is, or who isn't still on the board.

1. Detroit Lions

Save all of your Matt Millen/wide receiver jokes...this regime is going in a new direction. Georgia QB Matthew Stafford is going to have the pleasure of throwing to Calvin Johnson and handing it off to Kevin Smith. People might debate that the Lions need to shore up their offensive line and defense, but a woebegone franchise like the Lions need a splash to revive their fan base...and no better way than to add a franchise quarterback to make headlines. Defense wins championships, but offense puts fannies in the seats, and the Ford family is desperate to sell tickets. My guess is that they will let Culpepper take a beating for the beginning of the season so that Stafford won't take the heat for another losing season ahead. But with Stafford's big arm, there will at least be some cause for hope for the future.

2. St. Louis Rams

This is the biggest no-brainer of the draft: Virginia OT Eugene Monroe will take over for former first round disappointment Alex Barron and eventually succeed aging left tackle Orlando Pace. The Rams missed their left tackle of the future Jake Long by one pick last year but will not be left in the cold in 2009. Monroe has massive size and is a good character guy who can run block and pass block. This is the most important position on the football field despite every fans' clamoring for skill position players.

3. Kansas City Chiefs

This is usually where the draft takes a turn and this years' draft will be no different because there are a lot of holes to fill here and no clear cut direction for the Chiefs to take. The play of Tyler Thigpen last year lessons the need to take a quarterback, so the guess is the Chiefs may try to trade down and take the guy they really want in Ohio State CB Malcolm Jenkins. He is big, smart, tough and although not really a shut-down type cover guy, he is head-and-shoulders the best cornerback in this draft. Kansas City would love to find a defensive end replacement for Jared Allen, but they would really have to reach at number 3 to do it.

4. Seattle Seahawks

The Seahawks are the anti-Lions...they haven't filled their need at wide receiver in the draft in forever. Going into last season, the Seahawks were starting their sixth and seveth string wideouts because of injury and they will not be caught flat-footed again. Texas Tech WR Michael Crabtree may be the most dynamic player in the draft. He's not known for being exceptionally fast, but he is big, has remarkable hands, body control and run after the catch ability. He's TO with better hands and less attitude. Remember, this guy dominated the college game and he is only a red-shirt sophomore.

5. Cleveland Browns

There is no doubt that this team is going 'Defense." In the past few years, they have almost exclusively drafted on the offensive side of the ball (with the exception of huge disappointment Cameron Wimbley) and it has shown. They could use help at cornerback (Jenkins if he slides) and middle linebacker (USC's Rey Maualuga), but the guess is they go with the best defensive player in this draft, Wake Forest OLB Aaron Curry. New coach Eric Mangini is a Bill Bellichek disciple and big, versatle linebackers are needed to run his style of defense and Curry is just what the doctor ordered. Making him a bookend to Wimbley on the strong-side may help revive Wimbley's career. Curry can stuff the run, put his hand down, and drop into coverage, making him ideally suited to play in Cleveland's 3-4.

6. Cincinnati Bengals

The Bengals have been burned time and time again drafting bad-character/big-talented players. That's why they will pass on Alabama OT Andre Smith and instead select Baylor OT Jason Smith. In the long run, it may be a mistake, but the Bengals simply cannot afford any disaster that my be impending by drafting the superior tackle Smith, who was suspended from his final game as a college player. Smith does have huge upside though, as he made the switch from tight end to tackle just two years' ago and has great pass-blocking feet. He'll continue to improve as he adds bulk to go with his exceptional athletic ability. It's not a sexy pick, but it's a safe pick.

7. Oakland Raiders

The most dysfunctional franchise in sports does not have the same conscience as the Bengals. "Bad Boys?" That's what Al Davis is all about. This time, though, Davis gets lucky and Alabama OT Andre Smith slides right to him. For all the concerns about Smith's character, he is the most dominating run blocker in this draft, and he should kick-start last years' number one pick Darren McFadden's career. In fact, the Raiders have a host of solid running backs in McFadden, Justin Fargas and Michael Bush and the drafting of Smith would take some pressure off of still-developing QB JaMarcus Russell.

8. Jacksonville Jaguars

Last years' high hopes were dashed with a horrible melt-down by the Jags. The Jaguars would love for one of the aforementioned offensive tackles to fall their way, as David Gerard was sacked 42 times (as opposed to 21 a year earlier) and the usually potent run game dropped to 28th in the league. Unfortunately, that is not likely to happen. There is also some sentiment for drafting WR Jeremy Macklin here because they could use a playmaker, but they have an awful lot invested in their current receiving corps of Matt Jones, Reggie Williams and Jerry Porter. Instead, I see Coach Del Rio taking a shot with fellow-USC alum Rey Maualuga, the heavy-hitting, head-bashing, sideline-to-sideline type middle-linebacker that a defense can build around.

9. Green Bay Packers

A lot of people want to blame last years' disaster of falling out of playoff contention on the installation of Aaron Rodgers at QB to take over for legend Brett Favre. But the fact is, Rodgers and the offense put numbers on the board and their defense completely let them down. This team desperately needs to give DE Aaron Kampman some help rushing the passer and they will find it with Texas DE Brian Orakpo, last years' winner of the Lombardi Award (nations' best lineman) and Nagurski Trophy (nations' best defensive player). Orakpo is a beast with both speed and strength, who will keep opposing offenses from tilting their their pass-blocking schemes toward Kampman.

10. San Fransisco 49ers

There is a lot of hype surrounding keeping USC QB Mark Sanchez in Southern California, but that is a big reach here...not to mention current QB Shawn Hill probably earned consideration to keep his job down the stretch. San Fran has been developing quite of bit of talent on the defensive side of the ball, so the guess is that if Missouri WR Jeremy Maclin slips to number ten, he will be the choice to succeed the aging Isaac Bruce at wideout. Maclin possesses all the tools that Bruce once had and is a threat to light up the scoreboard every time he touches the ball. This kid is pure and simple "a playmaker." Singletary doesn't strike me as the kind of guy who wants' to suffer through the growing pains of a rookie quarterback anyway.

Well, that's it for my early read on the draft. Take your turn ripping up my opinion. Just remember to check back in after the combine...you all know how scouts love 40 times and bench presses.