2009 NFL Mock Draft: BJ Raji, Come On Down...

There is no predicting the NFL Draft. 

I'll leave out all the silly trades that should be made and all the sillier trades that will be made. Just the players, where they should go and why. Hopefully, I'll offer a different perspective rather than just regurgitating the same mock you see over and over again and rotating players around. 

In the long run, it will be wrong. Every draft out there will be, so in an effort to set myself apart - I'll admit it. 

This is how I'd start the draft: 

1. Detroit Lions: BJ Raji DT Boston College: The 6'2" 335lb Raji is the best Defensive Tackle in the draft. He's the best by a fairly large margin. You can't say that about the distance between players at any other position. Yes, Even Aaron Curry, depending on whether you place Curry inside or out. There is depth at the Tackle spot, but not 335lb depth. 

Why? The Lions added an aging Julian Peterson to a pretty good core of linebackers especially if Cliff Avril, Ernie Sims and Jordan Dizon stay healthy. They have Grady Jackson as the stalwart of their line. They need more. 

The tackles are solid but William Beatty could be solid too and he's a lot further down in the draft. 

The QBs? Stafford is no joke, but Sanchez and Freeman and Davis are solid, too. The best choice is Raji. 

2. St. Louis Rams: Eugene Monroe may be the best pass blocker out there but these are the Rams and these Rams look like a power running team. Stephen Jackson being the Rams best offensive weapon makes the OT that suits them best and the smartest choice Jason Smith, Baylor. 

3. Kansas City Chiefs: Eugene Monroe goes to the same team that took Branden Albert last year. The Chiefs have some pieces in WR Dwayne Bowe, WR Mark Bradley, a good combination of Running Backs. They could use an Aaron Curry.

Most teams could but when you just spent big money for Matt Cassell job one is getting the best pass protector available. The smart choice is Eugene Monroe.

4. Seattle Seahawks: I mentioned Julian Peterson moving to Detroit. Nice career in Seattle. Seattle needs a linebacker. Aaron Curry is the obvious choice. I wouldn't be surprised to see another USC linebacker go though. Rey Maualaga could force Lofa Tatupu outside in a bigger defense. I'd go with Maualaga. 

5. Cleveland Browns: The Browns could use Curry. The odds  are Donte Stallworth forced their hand. The Browns need to go WR. Who they take depends on what they intend to do with Braylon Edwards. Crabtree reminds me of Edwards.

If he stays, the Browns need a replacement for Stallworth more and Jeremy Maclin is the burner that should step in.

Would I take Maclin at No. 5? No. But he fills a big need for Cleveland. Cleveland's other big need is a pass rushing outside linebacker and Brian Orakpo looks a lot more comfortable as a 4-3 defensive end. 

6. Cincinnati Bengals: Now the Bengals are a 4-3 team. The Bengals have pretty good linebackers. They could use a pass rushing defensive end. Brian Orakpo is the perfect fit. What happens next year when Marvin Lewis is replaced with a 3-4 coach? The Bengals never worry about stuff like that and their record shows it. 

7. Oakland Raiders: The Raiders should be delighted to have Michael Crabtree. They need a Wide Receiver in the worst way. Crabtree  has all the tools. He never got to run but his forty time doesn't matter. He'd fit as a possession WR or a deep threat.  

WOW, seven picks and STAFFORD AND CURRY are still on the Board! 

8. Jacksonville Jaguars: Last year proved David Garrard isn't a starter. He can give a great spark off the bench but when you have to build your offense around his game it's difficult. Matthew Stafford is the Choice.

Stafford stays close to the Georgia fan base. He made a lot happen without first round WR's at Georgia, he knows how to use the TE. He's a perfect face for the Jags. 

9. Green Bay Packers: The Packers have two guys at 3-4 end that played four and six games last year, Jenkins and Harrell. They could explode. They have Thompson, Hunter and Pettway who look a lot like the Athletic DE/OLB that can play in the 3-4.

So while many are pointing to Everette Brown or Malcolm Jenkins the smart choice is DE Tyson Jackson from LSU.  

Jackson eats blockers for his backers and his line mates. Glenn Dorsey should still be sending thank-you notes and Jackson is the only real 3-4 end with a first round grade. That makes him the right choice for Green Bay. 

10. San Francisco 49ers: Now Aaron Curry is not supposed to be available at pick 10. If he is, Coach Mike Singletary grabs him immediately. OT Michael Oher fits a bigger need. WR Darrius Heyward-Bey fits a bigger need. QB Mark Sanchez fits a bigger need but Curry is a real linebacker and Singletary was a real linebacker.

He'd give San Fran the best set of inside linebackers in football. 

11. Buffalo Bills: The Bills could use a pass rusher. Everette Brown looks a lot like Chris Kelsay physically. Kelsay hasn't worked out well at his size the injuries have mounted. A bigger speed rusher makes sense.

Drafting potential isn't always the best idea but the perfect fit for Buffalo is Michael Johnson DE Georgia Tech potentially the best pass rusher in the draft. 

12. Denver Broncos: Everything depends on what Denver does with Jay Cutler. Cutler could bring a Herschel Walker like bounty and pouting QB's are never winning QB's. How do you think Jay would respond to Mark Sanchez being brought in?

But the need is defense. Are they a 3-4 or a 4-3 ? Either way the best player available for the Broncos is DL Peria Jerry from Ole Miss. Jerry and Thomas could combine to give the team interior pressure helping the whole defense. 

13. Washington Redskins: The 'Skins could use a pass rushing end. They could use an Offensive Tackle. They could use a Safety. Dan Snyder loves a name and the big names left play Offensive Tackle. Oher or Andre Smith? I think the bigger name and the better fit is Andre Smith a run blocking RT although Oher has more potential. 

14. New Orleans Saints: Hey! Malcolm Jenkins, weren't you supposed to be in Cleveland? That slow 40 time cost Malcolm, but with the Saints, he could move to safety.

He spent a lot of time as the best player on the field in college and the saints could use a defensive playmaker rather than a defensive reach. 

15. Houston Texans: The Texans need to tweak the defense. Sure they could use a big Running Back to pair with Slaton but Linebacker Clay Matthews, USC should be the pick he'll have a big advocate in assistant coach Bruce Matthews.

He'd fit nicely next to DeMeco Ryans and he has enough pass rushing skill to take heat off the front four. 

16. San Diego Chargers: The Chargers don't have a ton of needs. One of them could be LT and Michael Oher is still on the board. San Diego has been one of those teams that adds depth through the draft then plays them the next year.

A replacement for Igor Olshansky would make sense, too but at this point the Defensive Ends for a 3-4 are reaches and Oher is too good to pass. 

17. New York Jets: Mark Sanchez has to go to the Jets. He's a nice fit. Smart kid. Manages the game well. Jets fans will rejoice. 

18. Chicago Bears: The Bears fell off on offense when Muhsin Muhammad fell off as a number one receiver. A big WR who can block and get down field to clear space for Matt Forte makes sense. They need an OT too, Eben Britton and William Beatty make sense but I'd go with a veteran there.

Darrius Heyward-Bey tops most lists, but on mine, I go with 6'4" 214lb blazer Kenny Britt from Rutgers. Britt showed a mean streak blocking for Ray Rice. He's got good hands snatching the ball and he can run. His big body opens things up for Devin Hester and Matt Forte. 

19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: The Bucs could make it back to back at WR with Darrius Heyward-Bey. He's big he's got speed and the Bucs have a hole at WR. 

20. Detroit Lions: The Lions second pick could come down to an Offensive Tackle or a Quarterback. Josh Freeman is moving up charts and has similar size and skill set to a young Duante Culpepper. A couple of years to learn under Duante makes sense. Freeman is the pick. 

21. Philadelphia Eagles: The Eagles filled the safety hole and the TE hole through free agency. The biggest need is RB and Knowshon Moreno is the top Running Back on the Board. 

22. Minnesota Vikings: The Vikes WR corps gets a lot of grief, but look at the stats, Brian Berrian had his best season last year. Rice, Wade and Allison look to have potential. The Vikes are close. One exciting game changer could make a huge difference.

The best choice is DJ Moore, CB Vandy. Moore could help out as a kick returner, a nickelback and even as a slot receiver. That help could be enough to push the Vikes into serious contention. 

23. New England Patriots: Aaron Maybin or Everette Brown or Eben Britton or William Beatty? One thing for sure, the Pats will take the best player available. I think Everette Brown looks like that player. 

24. Atlanta Falcons: The biggest hole for the falcons is at Linebacker and with Brian Cushing available he's a no brainer. The problem with Cushing is he's more athlete than Linebacker. He's fast enough to line up at OLB though and that should be important in ATL. 

25. Miami Dolphins: I think the biggest need the Dolphins have is possession WR opposite speed WR Tedd Ginn. Hakeem Nicks is the perfect possession guy. 

26. Baltimore Ravens: The Ravens lost some defensive backs and linebackers to free agency. I think they're ok at Safety. They're supposedly searching for a WR. If that's true the best WR left isn't Percy Harvin (he may be the most exciting) its Derrick Williams. Williams stock dropped after the combine he ran with the flu.

His pro day at PSU should have confirmed his value. He reminds me of a young, blazing fast Derrick Mason. Alex Mack would make sense here too but Mason...er...Williams is the pick. 

27. Indianapolis Colts: The colts need to get bigger up front. Plain and simple they need the best big defensive player they can find. That looks like Evander "Ziggy" Hood out of Missouri. A 300lb DT, Hood is quick enough to play the under role if things don't change in Indy. 

28. Philadelphia Eagles: A LT tackle to groom makes sense. It made sense when the team drafted Winston Justice to groom a while back. If they remain unsatisfied with Justice, William Beatty would be the smart pick. 

29. New York Giants: Eli Manning needs targets. It could be time to go Tight End but Ohio State WR Brian Robiskie is a bigger WR to pair with Steve Smith and Domenik Hixon if Plaxico doesn't come back.

I think Plax has seen his last days in blue. So Robiskie a good sized WR with hands and decent speed is the pick. 

30. Tennesee Titans: There is no replacement for Albert Haynesworth sitting at 30. So the titans do what they always do...they go with the best football player available. That's CB Alphonso Smith a little ballhawk from Wake Forest.

Smith may have been the best defender on the Wake team. He's an improvement as the nickel right away and could become a starter soon. 

31. Arizona Cardinals: Center, Defensive End and Running Back all make sense. Running Back and Center still have some nice depth and could be available in round two, so the best defensive end makes the most sense. Connor Barwin is a football player first, a Ken Whisenhunt kind of guy. 

32. Pittsburgh Steelers: The Steelers should probably go with Eben Britton but the finesse OT tackle doesn't seem to suit them.

They could use a CB to replace Bryant McFadden, they could use some interior line depth, the could use some big bodies for an aging defense, they could use a WR and maybe a safety to back up Polamalu and Clark.

Sean Smith from Utah fits there. He's probably the best fit on the board. 

I'll start Round Two...but by this point the teams are probably gonna be very jumbled. 

33. Detroit: A WR to play opposite Big Calvin Johnson makes sense and Percy Harvin is a dynamic player who needs to learn to run routes. Giving Duante Culpepper another deep threat can't be a bad thing. 

34. New England: The Patriots probably eyed CB Darius Butler from UConn with their first round choice that he's still on the board makes the choice easy. 

35. St. Louis: The Rams could use a QB at this point, but it's a little high to go for Nate Davis (although Davis may be the best QB out there) Alex Mack combined with Smith in round one would solidify the line for years to come. 

36. Cleveland: The Browns could still use a pass rushing outside linebacker and Aaron Maybin has the build and explosiveness to excel. 

37. Seattle: Julius Jones was a disappointment. Beanie Wells is a bigger back with an injury history. Seattle has had luck with those guys before. 

38. Cincinnati: The Bengals need to better protect Carson Palmer. Center has no one who played last year on the depth chart that should set up Eric Wood but LT Levi Jones is 30. Eben Britton is the fit. 

39. Jacksonville: James Laurinaitis looks like  a college version of Jack Del Rio and is a big time value at 39. 

40. Oakland: Louis Delmas is a true play maker at Safety. 

41. Green Bay: Rather than going with the OLB in round one they go for Larry English in round two. 

42. Buffalo: The Bills need interior O-line help Duke Robinson is the right fit. 

43. San Francisco: The biggest name on the board is Vontae Davis—think Singletary wants to add him to head case Vernon. Will Moore at Safety is a better fit. 

44. Miami: DE/LB value is still found in round two Utah's Paul Kruger. 

45. Giants: A big tight end to threaten the seam would help Eli with the pick obtained for Shockey. Jared Cook TE south carolina. 

46. Houston: Vontae Davis CB Illinois. 

47. New England: Needs depth at WR and Jauquin Iglesias fits the mold pretty well. 

48. Denver: That big hole at NT filled by big Ron Brace Boston College. 

49. Chicago: Still needs a Tackle and Big Phil Loadholt is a RT waiting to happen. 

50. Cleveland: A bit of a hole at center gets filled with Eric Wood. 

51. Dallas: The Cowboys could use a dynamic WR and the most dynamic may be Mike Thomas from Arizona. 

52. Jets: TE or WR? WR is pretty picked over. TE needs size to go with Dustin Keller. The remaining big TE Brandon Pettigrew. 

53. Philadelphia: Anyone's guess. TE Travis Beckum, Wisconsin works for me. 

54. Minnesota: Could use depth on the O-line and at Linebacker. I'll go with Virginia LB Clint Sintim over C Max Unger. 

55. Atlanta: The Falcons could use help and CB and one of the top available is Sherrod Martin out of Troy. 

56. Miami: CB makes sense for the Dolphins too. Allen Asher from Georgia. 

57. Baltimore: South Florida's Tyronne McKenzie could learn next to Ray Lewis. Others have stepped in there and looked good. 

58. New England: Again, Jairus Byrd may be the best remaining CB. 

59. Carolina: If the Panthers are serious about moving Julius Peppers Jarron Gilbert offers the size and quickness of a Julius Peppers. 

60. Giants: They lost the mid range game in the three-pronged running attack. Donald Brown from UCONN fits the spot nicely. 

61. Indianapolis: The colts went big on defense in round one. Looking at that tackle position, they should do it twice with Fili Moala USC DT. 

62. Tennesee: Moala would have been nice. Dorrell Scott of Clemson is the consolation prize. They have to try to fill that hole sometime. 

63. Arizona: The Cards are sure to call RB LeSean McCoy a first-round talent if they get to call his name. 

64. Pittsburgh: Still in need on the Offensive line, and Max Unger has played multiple positions. 

So there's two rounds. It isn't close to being right. I won't revamp it. I'll stand by it. Each team fills needs. The reason this mock will be way off is this mock fills needs better than most GM's will. There's less reaching here.