NFL Mock Draft

The NFL season has come to an end, however, there is no offseason, as the Steelers, and Cardinals will get a couple days to celebrate and lament about the Super Bowl, and just like the rest of the league, they are back in their office dungeons preparing for the NFL Draft.

This year’s draft is intriguing because there is no franchise player to be had. Recently, it is more evident that having the first overall selection is more of a headache than a savior. Even teams with a top-five selection are more likely to offer their pick around the league because they need help at all positions.

As I embark on trying to crack the draft code on which team will select who, I am certain on one prediction, for the first time since 1994, there will be no player from the University of Miami taken in the first round.

Without further or ado, here is my first shot at predicting who will end up where.

1.  Detroit Lions: Matt Stafford, QB, Georgia: At Georgia, he played in a pro-style offense. A strong-arm quarterback, he is able to read a defense well. The only question that remains, is his durability, during games, it seemed that he would always suffer an injury. Can he withstand a rigorous 16-game NFL schedule? The Lions need to luck out on this draft to convince their fan base to come back to watch this team again.

2.   St. Louis Rams: Andre Smith, OT, Alabama: He has all the tangibles to be an all-pro for the next decade with his size, strength, and a high on-field football IQ. But will his questionable off the field suspension before the Sugar Bowl be taken into consideration by whoever selects him in the draft? Furthermore, his foot speed is a bit suspect, as his first two steps backpedalling needs to improve. The Rams' main priority is to find a replacement for the now aging, and injury prone Orlando Pace.

3.   Kansas City Chiefs: Mark Sanchez, QB, USC: He has been groomed for this position since he was a kid growing up in California. At USC, he sat behind the likes of Matt Leinart, and John David Booty. Finally, in 2008, as a starter, he showed off his skills with his pinpoint accuracy. However, will the lack of playing time (one year as a starter), be taken into consideration, and will this stump his growth in the NFL? The Chiefs need a quarterback to get the ball to Tony Gonzalez (if he is back), and Dwayne Bowe. Tyler Thigpen, and Brodie Croyle are not the answers.

4.  Seattle Seahawks: Michael Crabtree, WR, Texas Tech: The most gifted athlete in the draft. Clearly, he has the best set of hands, speed, and size amongst the group of this year’s receivers. However, he did have an ankle injury that plagued him in the second half of his football season. Will this hinder his ability to run his 40-yard dash? Either way, Crabtree would be a viable target for quarterback, Matt Hasselbeck to throw to in Seattle.

5.  Cleveland Browns: Malcolm Jenkins, CB, Ohio State: At 6’2, 201lbs, Jenkins would be an ideal fit on a weak Browns secondary. He can get physical, and plays well in man-to-man coverage. In a division where the Super Bowl Champions Steelers have Hines Ward, Santonio Holmes, and Heath Miller, the Browns will need to make moves to counter these physical players.

6.  Cincinnati Bengals: Michael Oher, OT, Ole Miss: Oher had one of the best quiet seasons in the SEC. He has a nasty streak, which the Bengals lack on their offensive line. Carson Palmer needs help, and having Oher protecting him would go a long way in keeping him healthy.

7.  Oakland Raiders: Jeremy Maclin, WR, Missouri: In any other year, Maclin would be the first receiver off the board. But with Michael Crabtree in the draft, Maclin will have to settle for second place. He has great breakaway speed, solid hands, and good route running. The Raiders need playmakers at the receiver position. Furthermore, this will develop JaMarcus Russell’s passing skills, to finally have someone who can catch the football.

8.  Jacksonville Jaguars: Aaron Curry, LB, Wake Forest: Curry had a great senior season at Wake Forest winning the Butkus award. As a result, he has vaulted up the draft boards. He has great hip explosion, and he has a high football IQ. He will fit nicely into the Jaguars philosophy of playing defense. With incumbent, Mike Peterson most likely gone, Curry will fit right into the linebacker position.

9.  Green Bay Packers: Jason Smith, OT, Baylor: The most intriguing prospect amongst the group of offensive tackles this year. He may go higher than this selection, the one advantage; he has quicker feet than Andre Smith. The Packers, need to get younger at the offensive line position, and give Aaron Rodgers more time in the pocket as he was sacked 34 times in 2008.

10. San Francisco 49ers: Eugene Monroe, OT, Virginia: The tradition continues at Virginia, as they have produced another offensive lineman who will be taken in the first round. Monroe has the biggest potential to become an All-Pro. However, he could skyrocket up the draft board if he does well at the NFL Combine. Furthermore, the 49ers were absolutely atrocious on their offensive line and they are in dire need of re-tooling their front-5 as they allowed 55 sacks. Monroe will go a long way in correcting this problem.

11.  Buffalo Bills: Brandon Pettigrew, TE, Oklahoma State:The best tight-end in the draft. He maximizes his body size by out muscling his opponents, he can go over the middle to make the tough catches, and he has developed nicely as a blocker. The Bills need a reliable pass catching tight-end to give quarterback, Trent Edwards another option to throw to as incumbent Robert Royal had 33 catches, 351 yards, and one touchdown.

12. Denver Broncos: Rey Maualauga, LB, USC: Maualauga had a great Senior Bowl week; his size makes him an ideal fit for the 3-4 defense the Broncos will play under new defensive coordinator, Mike Nolan. He might not possess a muscular body, but he has the speed to go sideline to sideline to make tackles in this alignment.

13. Washington Redskins: Knowshon Moreno, RB, Georgia: This might be a surprise on why the Redskins would take a running-back. But take into consideration that Clinton Portis, and Ladell Betts were both injured at one point during the season. Head-coach, Jim Zorn needs to get a pass catching running-back with speed in the lineup to run the west coast offense. Moreno displayed his skills during the Capital One Bowl as a sure handed cutback receiver coming out of the backfield.

14.  New Orleans Saints: D.J. Moore, CB, Vanderbilt: He is very confident in his abilities, he has great speed. However, he was dominated by the bigger receivers in the SEC. The Saints need to address their secondary woes, which have become a yearly event for them to correct, but they have not been able to do so.

15.  Houston Texans: Vontae Davis, CB, Illinois: Davis had a decent season on a disappointing Illinoisteam. The Texans lacked play-makers in their secondary. It did not help their cause that their best cover corner, Dunta Robinson was coming off major knee surgery, and he really was never healthy. Davis’s only problem is his attitude. If he can be a team player, this will go a long way for the Texans and their playoff hopes.

16.  San Diego Chargers: Chris Wells, RB, Ohio State: Wells has to prove his skeptics wrong at the NFL Combine and pro day. He has been hampered by injuries throughout his college career. He has great size (6’1", 237lbs) that would compliment any team that needs a power runner. With the pending free agency of Darren Sproles, it would be a great fit to give incumbent, LaDainian Tomlinson some plays off, especially now, since he has entered the black hole of age 30.

17.  New York Jets: LeSean McCoy, RB, Pittsbrugh: McCoy was the sole reason why the Pittsburgh Panthers were contending in the Big East. He debated restlessly on whether to stay in college. But with the blessing of his college coach, Dave Wannstedt, he opted for the draft. The Jets lack a big explosive player, and with Thomas Jones entering his 30s, McCoy could be one of the hottest prospects in the draft who can rise up into the first round.

18. Chicago Bears: Everette Brown, DE/LB, Florida State:Brown was the best player on an underachieving Seminoles football team. He can play defensive-end, and even some linebacker formations. The Bears lacked a pass rush as they amassed 28 sacks, and Brown can be their guy. However, be weary of how FSU defensive linemen translate their games onto the NFL stage, which has not been well.

19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Josh Freeman, QB, KSU: With a new coaching regime in-town, it is hard to imagine which direction the Buccaneers will go. They have many deficiencies to address. My question on Freeman, would he even be considered for the first round if his fellow Big-12 quarterbacks, Colt McCoy (Texas), and Sam Bradford (Oklahoma) had entered the draft? Probably not.  

20.  Detroit Lions (From the Dallas Cowboys): B.J. Raji, DT, Boston College:He had the best week at the Senior Bowl, He dominated the one on one practice battles with the offensive line. Raji can shoot up the draft boards if he performs well at his pro day. The Lions were horrible in stopping the run, and new head coach, Jim Schwartz knows how to stop the run, and Raji would fit the bill in his defense.

21. Philadelphia Eagles: Alex Mack, C, California:Mack is above every player at the center position. His has great size, and a high football IQ. The Eagles like to draft for size than skill players in the first round. Mack will help out this Eagles team, as they can begin the process of installing their young players in the lineup as William Thomas, and Jon Runyan are nearing the end of their careers.

22. Minnesota Vikings: Darius Heyward-Bey, WR, Maryland: Came on strong in the second half of the season with the Terrapins. Now, the Vikings can use him as a compliment to Bernard Berrian, and add depth to their underachieving receiving corps. Furthermore, he can spell star running-back Adrian Peterson as he finished third in Terrapin team rushing with 202 yards on 15 carries.

23. New England Patriots: William Moore, S, Missouri: A disappointing Senior Bowl did not help his stock. However, the Patriots coaching staff always gets the best out of players who are not projected to be superstars.  

24.  Atlanta Falcons: Brian Orakapo, DE, Texas:Orakapo had a quiet Fiesta Bowl, but that should not scare off any potential suitors. He has a very good first-step off the ball, and he can play the run well. The Falcons lacked a pass rush to compliment John Abraham, and the Jamal Anderson draft pick is beginning to look like a bust, as he has amassed a mere two sacks in 31 career games.

25.  Miami Dolphins: Sean Smith, CB/S, Utah: This might be high for him, but he held his own against Alabama in the Sugar Bowl. The Dolphins lacked a ball hawk in their secondary, and they need to get younger and more athletic in that department. Smith brings versatility, as Bill Parcells loves guys who can play more than one position.

26. Baltimore Ravens: James Laurinaitis, LB, Ohio State:Last year, he would have been a top-15 pick, but this year he has dropped off due to a not so great season. However, if Laurinaitis lands with the Ravens, this is not a bad spot for him to learn from Ray Lewis (if he re-signs). Also, with Bart Scott, and Terrell Suggs free-agents, Laurinaitis might be thrust into lineup.  

27.  Indianapolis Colts: Tyson Jackson, DE, LSU: Jackson did not have a strong year on a rebuilding Tigers team. But the Colts lack depth in their front four, as they were dominated in their playoff loss to the San Diego Chargers. Jackson would be a nice compliment to Dwight Freeney who needs help, as he faces a constant double team.

28.  Philadelphia Eagles: Percy Harvin, WR/RB, Florida:Harvin displayed why he was one of the best all-around college football players, however, injuries has always nagged his progress. The Eagles, need more play-makers, and Harvin can definitely make plays from all positions on the football field. Also, it will alleviate the workload on Brian Westbrook who has always suffered an assortment of injuries during the season.

29.  New York Giants: Hakeem Nicks, WR, UNC: He has increased his stock after an incredible performance in the Meineke Car Care Bowl. He has a good pair of hands, great size, and the most importantly, he is able to create yards after the catch. The Giants need to replace Plaxico Burress, and soon to be outgoing Amani Toomer. Nicks might be their guy.

30. Tennessee Titans: Brian Cushing, LB, USC: The Titans' defense is their backbone. However, Keith Bullock is getting up there in age, and Cushing would be the heir apparent to Bullock’s position whenever he has played his last game with the Titans. Cushing’s aggressive style fits in well with the Titans style of play. Also, it does not hurt, that head coach, Jeff Fisher is an USC alum too.

31.  Arizona Cardinals: Aaron Maybin, DE/LB, Penn State: Maybin had a good season at Penn State, he can play as hybrid linebacker and rush end. The Cardinals will need to get younger at the defensive end spot and Maybin can be the future replacement for Bertrand Berry once he leaves.

32.  Pittsburgh Steelers: Duke Robinson, G, Oklahoma:Even with the Super Bowl victory, clearly, the weakest position group was their offensive line. The Steelers have a few potential free-agents on the offensive live. Robinson will go a long way to opening up the holes for running-back, Willie Parker, and giving more time to quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger to find Santonio Holmes.

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