With the seventeenth selection, the Broncos select defensive playmaker and tackling machine extraordinaire, Brandon Spikes from Florida. Considering this season, the starters at MLB have been Nate Webster and Spencer Larsen with Nike Koutivides backing up. If you didn't just puke in your mouth a little bit then you have no idea how hard a time Denver has had filling the spot at MLB… almost as bad as RB. But they bring in Spikes and he makes that defense immensely better from day one as he is a big, bad and blazing fast. He'll go sideline to sideline and make plays in coverage, he's the total package.
18. Minnesota Vikings – Matt Stafford, QB Georgia
With the eighteenth selection the Vikings take the first QB off the board in the Georgia gunslinger Stafford. Tavaris Jackson will be a perennial back up with playing expertise, Gus Ferotte throws too many picks and is far too brittle to be anyone's starting QB and a solid QB is the only thing keeping the Vikings from a deep playoff run. Queue the QB from Georgia who should fit nicely into Childress' system, he can move in the pocket, he can make all the throws and has a knack for winning, he'll be the face of the franchise along with AP for a long time.
19. New England Patriots – D.J. Moore, CB Vanderbilt
With the nineteenth selection, the Patriots select cornerback D.J. Moore from Vanderbilt, the Patriots have had a really tough time covering the pass this year, this could also be because they haven't had the same kind of pass rush they usually get so this pick could also be Clint Sintim from Virginia or someone to replace Rodney Harrison and since William Moore has slipped so far, he could also be the pick. But with the makeshift secondary the Patriots currently have, getting Moore from Vandy will go a long way to bringing the Patriots secondary back up to snuff.
20. Arizona Cardinals – Alex Mack, C California
With the twentieth selection, the Cardinals select one of my personal favourite players in this year's draft, the man beast with a mean streak a mile long, Alex Mack. The Cardinals are proving to have very few weaknesses on offense, but establishing the running game is definitely one, if the Cardinals can balance their offense, dominate the clock and keep their defense off the field it will do wonders for them and I think Alex Mack may be the key component in doing that and he'll start from day one as well.
21. Miami Dolphins – Alphonso Smith, CB Wake Forest
The Dolphins have been one of the better stories this year and with this selection they select a player to help out their ailing secondary which has undoubtedly been their Achilles heel all season. They grab my favourite cornerback in the draft in Alphonso Smith from Wake Forest. The only thing that might limit him is his ability to play the run but I think Coach Sporano will make sure he sticks his nose in there and makes some noise and after that, he has all the tools to be an elite cover corner in a division where he has to face Randy Moss and Lee Evans twice a year.
22. Washington Redskins – Duke Robinson, OG Oklahoma
With Coach Jim Zorn on board and looking good, it's likely he continues to upgrade the offense because it has really slowed them down the last couple weeks. Clinton Portis has had no running room and the pass protection is breaking down. Considering the age of the guards currently in place and the value of Duke Robinson, I can't imagine the Redskins passing him up. This pick could also be Tyson Jackson from LSU as a DE who can run stop or James Laurinaitis from Ohio State who can play along side London Fletcher and Rocky McIntosh.
23. New York Jets – Jeremy Maclin, WR Missouri
With Laveranues Coles coming out of the woodworks to call out Brett Favre on a consistent basis, the Jets are likely to cut ties with him when his contract expires. With him gone, the Jets will need a new speedster WR who can go up and get the ball, and considering Maclin's size and speed, he would be a perfect fit to go and catch the long bomb from "Lord" Favre if he decides to retire and unretire again this season.
24. Detrot Lions (from Dallas) – James Laurinaitis, LB Ohio State
The Lions got a solid pick for Roy E. Williams and they'll use it to sure up their defense even more. I don't know how they ever thought they could get by with Paris Lenon and Jordan Dizon at MLB. Dizon is better suited as a WLB since he's undersized and Lenon is a special teamer and depth player but hardly a starter. The Lions go out and get Animal Jr. from Ohio State and place him in the middle of the defense alongside Ernie Sims, Brian Orakpo, Cliff Avril and some other talents and get the defense churning.
25. Atlanta Falcons – B.J. Raji, DT Boston College
The resurgent Falcons have been an incredible surprise this season and I give credit to Mike Smith and Thomas Dimitroff for turning the franchise around so quickly. The team has very few needs at this point but they could definitely stand to upgrade their defensive line, especially the nose tackle. Babineaux has been a standout this season but he needs a big body next to him to occupy blockers and I think Raji is the best fit for what they need.
26. Philadelphia Eagles (from Carolina) – William Moore, S Missouri
The Eagles have been getting surprisingly decent play from Dawkins and Quinton Mikel but I think with the value of William Moore and the play making ability he has, they'll overlook the fact they drafted Quinton Demps and get a steal here with William Moore. The Eagles could also pick the top tight end but I some how don't see them going that route and instead they go the route of fixing their secondary, which is a change pick wise itself, but I think it has to be made.
27. Baltimore Ravens – Darrius Heyward-Bey, WR Maryland
The Ravens are a team with very few weaknesses; they have a suffocating defense, a quality run game and an emerging passing game. But I still think they're lacking that vertical threat down the field that Joe Flacco can heave the ball to and go for points because the Ravens are definitely lacking some explosion in their offense, so they grab the raw in state prospect DHB and allow him to learn from a quality vet in Derrick Mason and hopefully DHB and the Flaccinator will be putting big points up.
28. Indianapolis Colts – Sen'Derrick Marks, DT Auburn
The Colts have absolutely nothing at DT. If this pick isn't the top defensive tackle on their board than they might have a screw loose. Marks is a penetrating DT who can harass the QB and collapse the pocket and give Indy some size upfront where they are severely lacking.
29. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Percy Harvin, WR Florida
Joey Galloway is pretty much out of the system, Stovall hasn't panned out, Jackson is a returner at best and Clayton is inconsistent so I think the Bucs need to grab a WR and I think it's either Harvin or Britt, but I'm tempted to say Harvin because the Florida offense is much like the West Coast Offense that Gruden runs, screens, hitches, drags and such, so Harvin will be able to utilize his talents.
30. Pittsburgh Steelers – Jason Smith, OT Baylor
The Steelers have had revolving doors at the tackle spot with Smith, Starks, Colon and other players trying to fill the void. Not to mention Roethlisberger is constantly under pressure so I think the Steelers need to grab the next tackle on the board and luckily, Jason Smith is a fantastic pick up this late in the draft. He'll be able to slide in at LT so that Marvel Smith can retire because that back injury is not going to get better and it'll hopefully keep Roethlisberger's blindside intact for the next 10 years.
31. Tennessee Titans – Mike Mickens, CB Cincinnati
Tennessee knows what to draft to win and with their secondary aging and #2 corner looking to be the only weak spot I think they go out and draft Mike Mickens, he might be slipping on some people's boards because of a meniscus injury he had to have surgery for, but I think Mickens is one of the most talented corners and that the Titans will gladly snatch him up, however, this pick could also be Clint Sintim from Virginia or Trevard Lindley from Kentucky.
32. New York Giants – Kenny Britt, WR Rutgers
The last pick in the 1st round goes to the Giants, and with it they select the in-state superstar WR Kenny Britt. The Giants have had some horrible luck with WR's this year. Tyree has been injured most of the season, Toomer is aging and Burress is looking at serious jail time. Behind that, they have Manningham, Smith and Moss, none of whom aside from Smith has really shown to be comfortable in this offense so I think they grab Britt and they'll gain that big body vertical threat that they are missing now that Plaxico is out of the line-up indefinitely.
There we have it folks, the second half of the first round. Now, if you're a little confused by the draft order it's because I use my buddy Eric's power rankings instead of ordering by record, just to see if it changed anything. However, the next mock will use the more accurate draft order since it will likely be up towards the end of the season when the standings are just about finalized, regardless, enjoy!
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