2010 NFL Mock Draft V. 3: Browns Pass on Sam Bradford, Dez Bryant Goes South

As the 2010 NFL Draft gets closer the mock drafts start to look more and more similar since players are finally down getting poked and prodded.

Here is my third version of the NFL mock draft, and click here to link to my second version of my mock draft for comparison reasons.

(Author note: Trades are too hard to predict and even though some try to do this, I will not, hence this first round mock without any trades.)

And with the first pick of the 2010 NFL Draft, the St. Louis Rams select:

No. 1 – St Louis Rams – Sam Bradford, QB, Oklahoma

Bradford is a hot commodity and with his new found popularity and increased body mass at the NFL Combine, he will be hard to pass up unless the Browns' Mike Holmgren offers many of their 12 draft picks so Cleveland can have their franchise quarterback.

Honestly, as much as Holmgren is hinting to wanting Bradford, it all just seems like a smokescreen in my opinion.

No. 2 – Detroit Lions – Russell Okung, OT, Oklahoma State

Protection for Matthew Stafford. Plain, simple and easy pick here.

No. 3 – Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Ndamukong Suh, DT, Nebraska

The Bucs hope that Suh can bring as much success as Warren Sapp did in the middle of their defensive line.

No. 4 – Washington Redskins – Jimmy Clausen, QB, Notre Dame

Coach Mike Shanahan may have some confidence in Jason Campbell, but Clausen's confidence and cockiness are very reminiscent of another quarterback he drafted a few years back in Jay Cutler.

No. 5 – Kansas City Chiefs – Gerald McCoy, DT, Oklahoma

The Chiefs could go with Berry here, but instead GM Scott Pioli decides to solidify the middle of his defensive line for the foreseeable future.

No. 6 – Seattle Seahawks – Eric Berry, S, Tennessee

The release of safety Deon Grant was a sign that the Seahawks want a safety with one of their two first round picks and luckily Berry falls into their laps.

No. 7 – Cleveland Browns – Joe Haden, CB, Florida

With Holmgren throwing up a smokescreen about Bradford, Haden is a logical pick. The secondary has holes, and it has not been addressed in free agency.

Regardless of his combine performance, Haden is an improvement over Brandon McDonald. He would be a good compliment to Eric Wright, who is currently the number one cornerback for the Browns.

Additionaly, it seems like Holmgren has his eyes on a quarterback in the second or third round more than anything else. The Browns roster needs an infusion of talent. Consquently, they will not want to start trading away too many of their picks to move up in the first round.

No. 8 – Oakland Raiders – Bruce Campbell, OT, Maryland

It will be either Campbell, Pierre-Paul, Mays, or Graham at this pick, and Campbell has more of the “freakish” physical abilities that owner Al Davis gets way too infatuated with.

Plus, with the recent acquisition of linebacker Kamerion Wimbley via trade with Cleveland, Davis already has a pass rusher on defense.

No. 9 – Buffalo Bills – Dan Williams, DT, Tennessee
Williams will anchor the Bills' 3-4 defense for many years.

No. 10 – Jacksonville Jaguars – Derrick Morgan, DE, Georgia

The Jaguars need talent on every level of their defense, and Morgan is one piece in fixing their porous defense.

No. 11 – Denver Broncos – Rolando McClain, ILB, Alabama

Last year's starting inside linebacker, Andra' Davis, was cut; McClain takes over in the middle now.

No. 12 – Miami Dolphins – Dez Bryant, WR, Oklahoma State

It is rare for someone like Bill Parcells to pick a wide receiver this high, but he needs to give his young quarterback, Chad Henne, more weapons on offense. Bryant will be the weapon they thought Ted Ginn Jr. was going to develop into.

No. 13 – San Francisco 49ers – C.J. Spiller, RB, Clemson

Even though the 49ers need an offensive lineman and there will still be a few good ones left at their next pick, they cannot pass up on a talent like Spiller since the Seahawks would probably grab him in the next pick anyway.

No. 14 – Seattle Seahawks – Bryan Bulaga, OT, Iowa

Bryan Bulaga will be Walter Jones' replacement at left tackle.

No. 15 – New York Giants – Jared Odrick, DL, Penn State

The middle of the defensive line needs to get better, and Odrick improves the line from day one.

No. 16 – Tennessee Titans – Brandon Graham, DE/LB, Michigan

The Titans lost two pass rushers in Kyle Vanden Bosch and Jevan Kearse. Graham brings a solid pass rusher onto the defense to, hopefully, make up for the two that were lost.

No. 17 – San Francisco 49ers – Trent Williams, OT, Oklahoma

Williams will help sure up the line and open holes for Frank Gore and Spiller, who will be acquired with the 49ers first pick.

No. 18 – Pittsburgh Steelers – Mike Iupati, OG, Idaho

The Steelers finally draft an offensive lineman to help protect their quarterback.

No. 19 – Atlanta Falcons – Earl Thomas, S, Texas

Already adding Dunta Robinson via free agency, the Falcons continue to upgrade their secondary with the addition of Thomas.

No. 20 – Houston Texans – Kyle Wilson, CB, Boise State

Kyle Wilson will be Dunta Robinson's replacement at cornerback.

No. 21 – Cincinnati Bengals – Taylor Mays, S, USC

Already addressing their needs at receiver, the Bengals will not be able to pass on Mays in a division that also has Troy Polamalu and Ed Reed.

No. 22 – New England Patriots –Jermaine Gresham, TE, Oklahoma

The Patriots have zero tight ends on their roster. They will pick the best tight end in this draft in Jermaine Gresham.

No. 23 – Green Bay Packers – Charles Brown, OT, USC

The Packers' offensive line struggled at times in 2009, and Brown will begin to bring stability to the unit.

No. 24 – Philadelphia Eagles – Sean Weatherspoon, LB, Missouri

Weatherspoon replaces the recently cut Will Witherspoon.

No .25 – Baltimore Ravens – Aaron Hernandez, TE, Florida

After adding receiver Anquan Boldin via trade, there is no other logical pick than to get quarterback Joe Flacco his final weapon in a tight end who can step up and take over the position from Todd Heap.

No. 26 – Arizona Cardinals – Everson Griffen, DE/LB, USC

The loss of linebacker Karlos Dansby means that the Cardinals will be looking for his replacement, and Griffen looks to step into Dansby's vacated shoes.

No. 27 – Dallas Cowboys – Anthony Davis, OT, Rutgers

Hoping for Iupati, the Cowboys help protect Tony Romo with the selection of Davis.

No. 28 – San Diego Chargers – Ryan Matthews, RB, Fresno State

Is this really a match made in heaven? Almost every single mock draft on the Internet says so.

No 29 – New York Jets – Golden Tate, WR, Notre Dame

The Jets need to get another receiver on board because Braylon Edwards looks to only be a short term answer from various online reports.

No. 30 – Minnesota Vikings – Brian Price, DT, UCLA

It is time to plan for the future, before the Williams Wall starts to crumble on it's own. Price will learn from one of the best defensive lines in the NFL.

No. 31 – Indianapolis Colts – Maurkice Pouncey, OL, Florida

How many times do you remember defenders breaking through the Colts' offensive line causing Peyton Manning to just fall on the ground so he wouldn't take a big hit? Too many. The Colts bring in Pouncey to rebuild a line that needs it.

No. 32 – New Orleans Saints – Jerry Hughes, LB, TCU

The loss of Scott Fujita to the Browns means there is a job opening and Hughes will fill that job application admirably for the Super Bowl champions.