Thursday, January 8, 2009

2009 Mock Draft Ver 2.0 Round 1

Round 1:

1. Detroit Lions – Brian Orakpo, DE Texas

With the first selection in the 2009 NFL Draft I think the Lions go with the most impact defensive player on the board in Texas DE Brian Orakpo who has been an absolute monster this season. The game that most sticks out in my mind was the game vs. Missouri where Texas would only use a 3 man front and Orakpo was constantly harassing Chase Daniel all game long. The Lions have a wealth of needs coming into this draft but somehow I think they pass on QB and OT to select a game breaking DE because I have a feeling the Lions will go after Josh McDaniels, OC from the Patriots and his QB Matt Cassel which would leave them in the position to take BPA and that is Orakpo.

2. St. Louis Rams – Andre Smith, OT Alabama

With the second selection, the Rams select the massive tackle from Saban's resurgent Alabama squad. Andre Smith is a massive and imposing human being and considering the Rams were likely to pounce on Jake Long had he slipped to number 2 last year there is no way they don't go out and grab one of the two OTs left on the board at this point. I think Smith is the better fit of the two for the Rams since they would like to feature Jackson heavily and take some of the pressure of Bulger who has been an absolute catastrophe this year. Bringing in Smith would immediately help out the Rams ailing offense, especially in the red zone.

3. Kansas City Chiefs – Aaron Curry, LB Wake Forest

With the third selection, the Chiefs grab Aaron Curry from Wake Forest. The Chiefs don't really have much at linebacker besides Derrick Johnson and since Curry may be one of if not the best player in the draft the Chiefs would be ecstatic to have him. I'm not entirely sure where he would end up, my guess would be that he would player either strongside backer and maybe DJ would move to weakside or vice versa then they would just have to find an ILB later in the draft or in free agency. This pick could also be an OT if the Chiefs aren't entirely set on drafting Curry, it could also be a reach on a pass rusher like Michael Johnson or Everette Brown.

4. Seattle Seahawks – Malcolm Jenkins, CB Ohio State

With the fourth selection, the Seahawks nab the top corner back available since they're having such a hard time covering the pass this year. Josh Wilson and Kelly Jennings are both nickel corners at best and Malcolm Jenkins can come in immediately and start opposite Trufant, but he also has the versatility to be a great FS for the Seahawks so I think this is the best pick for them, this pick could also be an OT or a WR since those are also positions of weakness but with Walter Jones still in place and Sean Locklear back from injury, I think they can hold off and get the best pure cover corner in the draft in Jenkins.

5. Cleveland Browns – Chris Wells, RB Ohio State

With the fifth selection we welcome the Browns back to the first day after a brief hiatus last year and they go out and select the truck back from Ohio State, Mr. Chris Wells. In all likelihood, Jamal Lewis has played his last season with the Browns, he's lost all his get up and go and is looking more like a slug coming through the hole than a truck. If the Browns get Wells they can team him up with Jerome Harrison and have the two-headed beast of a backfield that is becoming synonymous with NFL teams this season. Teaming up the speedy Harrison and bruising Wells in their division will do them some good, not to mention take some of the pressure off whoever is at QB.

6. Cincinnati Bengals – Michael Oher, OT Ole Miss

With the sixth selection, the Bengals take the big tackle from Mississippi, Michael may be slipping in people's eyes but I still think he's one of the best of the bunch and fits the style of offense that Cincinnati uses, he's an athletic tackle that can protect Palmer's backside while they move incumbent veteran Levi Jones over to RT and hopefully let Stacy Andrews go or move him to guard as he has been a disappointment this season after getting the franchise tag. Oher will go a long way in helping out the struggling Cincy offense.

7. Oakland Raiders – Eugene Monroe, OT Virginia

With the seventh selection, the Crypt Keeper selects someone that didn't run a blazing 40 and that's the third OT in Eugene Monroe, the Raiders have big money invested in their QB and RB but the guys protecting them are hardly anything to write home about. Kwame Harris? Really? Eugene Monroe is drafted and starts from day one on the left side of the line where Robert Gallery is actually playing decent and gives JaMarcus Russell some time to throw the ball so he can complete his 15-20 passes a game while the running game takes over. However, we all know Al Davis and how he gets all hot and bothered when he sees a fast 40, so this pick could also be Michael Crabtree, Taylor Mays or Darrius Heyward-Bey.

8. Jacksonville Jaguars – Michael Crabtree, WR Texas Tech

With the eighth selection, the Jaguars go out and select the uber productive WR from Texas Tech, Mr. Crabtree, now, Jacksonville has had some really tough luck this season on both sides of the ball in regards to injuries, team disruptions and what have you, so this pick could also be traded down to the mid teens so that someone can come up and have a shot at Crabtree and Jacksonville can grab Brandon Spikes from Florida or Duke Robinson from Oklahoma. However, I think with the severe lack of production from the Jacksonville WRs and Matt Jones, their only productive WR sitting on possession charges, they'll need the skills of Crabtree in their offense to bail out David Garrard who has looked stunningly unimpressive this season.

9. Green Bay Packers – Michael Johnson, DE Georgia Tech

With the ninth selection, the Packers go out and pick the absolutely massive Yellow Jacket DE, Michael Johnson. Besides Aaron Kampman, the Packers could not get much of a pass rush this season and it really put a damper on their defence. With losing Cullen Jenkins to injury and cutting Kabeer Gbaja-Biamilia the Packers would be well served to make sure they get the best DE available, luckily for GM Ted Thompson, a guy who likes to take BPA, Michael Johnson fits both categories and should be able to be a nice addition to the Green Bay defence.

10. San Francisco 49ers – Taylor Mays, S USC

With the tenth selection, the 49ers go BPA and Mays is that player. What was potentially a top 5-7 talent has slid to the 49ers who could use Mays range and playmaking ability. This pick could also be OL, pass rusher or even a WR because the 49ers have been severely lacking on offense but I think the 49ers hold off on OL until the second and select the speedy safety from So Cal especially in light of hiring Mike Singletary as head coach, the 49ers are more than likely to build the defence first and foremost.

11. Buffalo Bills – Everette Brown, DE Florida State

With the eleventh selection, the frigid Bills select Everette Brown from FSU. For years, the Bills have had nothing opposite DE Aaron Schobel and they were able to get by because he was a relentless machine but as soon as he went down, the Bills lost all pass rush which leads me to believe they'll use this pick on the ridiculously fast and versatile DE from Florida St., Everette Brown who has all the potential to become a star and would give the Bills a very dangerous defensive line with Schobel, and tackles Stroud and Williams.

12. Denver Broncos – Brandon Spikes, LB Florida

With the twelfth 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 Niko 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 defence 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.

13. Washington Redskins – Jason Smith, OT Baylor

With the thirteenth selection and Coach Jim Zorn still on board it's likely he continues to upgrade the offense because it really slowed the Skins down to the point where they played themselves out of the playoffs. Clinton Portis has had no running room and the pass protection was breaking down. Considering the age of the offensive line currently in place and the value of Jason Smith rising, 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 and potentially move in on certain situations to play DT like division rival Justin Tuck.

14. New Orleans Saints – James Laurinaitis, LB Ohio State

With the fourteenth selection, the New Orleans Saints do not select a cornerback. I think with Mike Mackenzie and Tracy Porter on IR, the Saints got a bit of a raw deal in the secondary and I don't think they were as terrible as they were in years prior, but the Saints still need to go defence regardless. Enter Animal Jr. from the Buckeye State, he's a big, mean and fast linebacker and would do well to play SLB with Vilma or replace him at ILB in order to help the Saints stop the run, and not to mention baby Animal is pretty decent in coverage too.

15. Houston Texans – William Moore, S Missouri

With the fifteenth selection, the Texans select William Moore from Mizzou, this versatile safety has had somewhat of a down year with injuries causing some problems with his play, but he is still an elite talent and I don't see him falling past Denver and Houston. He can do it all in a secondary that really has never had an elite safety to hang their hat on, they've gotten by on vagrants and journeymen but now the Texans will have a monster and if Dominique Barber pans out as well, the Texans could have a very talented and young safety duo.

16. San Diego Chargers – Duke Robinson, OG Oklahoma

With the sixteenth selection, the San Diego Chargers select the Duke! Chargers could benefit from a number of other positions, like a DE like Tyson Jackson or maybe an ILB like Rey Maualuga or even an offensive weapon for Norv Turner, but I think they need to take a look at Duke Robinson. Mike Goff is still a great NFL guard, but he probably doesn't have a whole lot left in the tank and I think that the Chargers need to keep the offensive line strong in order to make some serious noise during the season, so, I think they grab the big guard who will fit the San Diego system well.

17. New York Jets – Rey Maualuga, LB USC

With the seventeenth selection, the Jets select Rey Maualuga from USC. The Jets could use some youth inside where Eric Barton is aging and starting to lose a step. Now, pair Maualuga up with David Harris in the middle and you've got quite an impressive interior linebacking core for the Jets… that's if the keep the 3-4 defence going, if they bring in a new coach who changes to a 4-3 this pick could be Matt Stafford from Georgia, it could also be someone like Ciron Black or Eben Britton to replace Damien Woody at RT.

18. Chicago Bears – George Selvie, DE South Florida

With the eighteenth selection, Da Bears select pass rusher George Selvie. The Bears have really suffered from injuries and poor play in the secondary this season and is one of the main causes as to why they didn't win the division as they couldn't contain Andre Johnson in the final game of the season in order to make the playoffs, but it is not because they don't have the talent but because they couldn't pressure the QB and opposing teams could shred them. This pick could also be a WR like Percy Harvin or Hakeem Nicks, but I think Lovie Smith goes with what he knows and that's a strong running game and suffocating defence and in order to do that, he needs a guy who can get to the QB and Selvie fits that bill.

19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Knowshon Moreno, RB Georgia

With the nineteenth selection, the Bucs sail out and return with the Georgia back Knowshon Moreno, the Bucs had a heaping big mess in their backfield this year. With Graham going down to injury, Cadillac injuring his good leg and Warrick Dunn reaching the end of his career, the Bucs are going to need to infuse some more youth and health into their backfield. I think Moreno is the kind of back that will be able to help the offense even more, he's a solid back who can break the long run and his talents will go a long way to setting up the west coast passing game where Gruden likes to involve play action boots and what have you.

20. Detroit Lions (from Dallas) – Ciron Black, OT LSU

With the twentieth selection and the best defensive player already selected, the Detroit Lions select their next most pressing need and that is OT where Jeff Backus is not holding his ground. This selection of Ciron Black could help the Lions immensely, especially if Gosder Cherilus can actually get on the field and do well next season, the Lions could move Backus in to guard and with Black at LT the offensive line might actually be a strength for the team, and with Kevin Smith running well the Lions might have an offense that they can hang their hat on. This pick could also be Matt Stafford if they don't get Matt Cassel or another QB via free agency.

21. Arizona Cardinals – Alex Mack, C California

With the twenty-first 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 defence 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.

22. Philadelphia Eagles – Eben Britton, OT Arizona

With the twenty-second selection, the Eagles select Eben Britton from Arizona. Britton is rising up draft boards quickly and it looks as if he'll find a home in Philly. I think he'll play RT for the Eagles, and since the Eagles are supposedly moving Herremans out to LT, they can have Shawn Andrews and Max Jean-Gilles inside, Britton will be a nice addition to the right side of the line. He's not as mean as Jon Runyan but he's far more athletic and since Andy Reid loves to take offensive linemen in the 1st round, Britton seems to be the right choice.

23. Minnesota Vikings – Matt Stafford, QB Georgia

With the twenty-third 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 because he proved he can't get it done in the clutch. 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.

24. New England Patriots – Vontae Davis, CB Illinois

With the twenty-fourth selection, the Patriots select cornerback Vontae Davis from Illinois, 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. But with the makeshift secondary the Patriots currently have, getting Davis from Zook's resurgent Illini team, the pick will go a long way to bringing the Patriots secondary back up to snuff as Ellis Hobbs is a great corner and Wilhite is an emerging talent, but someone with Davis' talent falling this far is too much to pass up.

25. Atlanta Falcons – B.J. Raji, DT Boston College

With the twenty-fifth selection the resurgent Falcons select Raji from BC. The 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. Miami Dolphins – Alphonso Smith, CB Wake Forest

With the twenty-sixth selection, the Dolphins grab my favourite cornerback in the draft in Alphonso Smith from Wake Forest. The Dolphins have been one of the better stories this year and with this selection they get a player to help out their ailing secondary which has undoubtedly been their Achilles heel all season. 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.

27. Baltimore Ravens – Hakeem Nicks, WR North Carolina

With the twenty-seventh selection the Ravens go out and select the talented WR from UNC. The Ravens have had a great season, their run game is amazingly successful, and the offensive line has put up great protection for Joe Flacco, not to mention the Flaccinator has been an absolute stud at QB. Now, he just needs a new target to throw to as Derrick Mason, though talented is aging and they need a youthful and spry WR who can make all the tough catches and then some. Enter Nicks from UNC who is rocketing up draft boards and will give Flacco another talented receiver to get the ball to and Cam Cameron another weapon on offense.

28. Indianapolis Colts – Peria Jerry, DT Ole Miss

With the twenty-eighth selection the Colts select the Ole Miss Monster, Mr. Jerry. The Colts have absolutely nothing at DT and if this pick isn't the top defensive tackle on their board than they might have a screw loose. Jerry is a big bodied DT who can also harass the QB and collapse the pocket along with play stout against the run and give Indy some size upfront where they are severely lacking any kind of presence.

29. Philadelphia Eagles (from Carolina) – Kenny Britt, WR Rutgers

With the twenty-ninth selection, the Eagles grab the 6'4" Rutgers WR Kenny Britt. Britt is a solid receiver and a big target for McNabb to throw to. He has a little trouble getting the jump ball in the end zone but I think with the proper coaching he'll have no problems adjusting and becoming a number one target for McNabb considering all the other minuscule receivers on their roster. This pick could also be a TE, but with Celek playing well and L.J. Smith still on the roster, I don't think they use the pick on the TE right now.

30. Pittsburgh Steelers – Tyson Jackson, DE LSU

With the thirtieth selection, the Steelers select LSU DE Tyson Jackson to play 3-4 end alongside Aaron Smith who is aging and Casey Hampton in the middle. This pick will make the Steelers defence even stingier than it already is. The Steelers could reach on an offensive lineman like Herman Johnson from LSU or Russell Okung from Oklahoma State, but with Jackson's skill set, I think he needs to be the pick.

31. New York Giants – Brian Cushing, LB USC

With the thirty-first selection, the Giants select the beach built backer, Brian Cushing. This pick really is determined by what the Giants decide to do with Mathias Kiwanuka, if he remains a DE, the Giants will go LB because Danny Clark should not be a starter. But if they decide to move Kiwanuka back to SLB, this pick could be Greg Hardy from Ole Miss or Connor Barwin from Cincinnati, but I'm thinking the Giants leave Kiwanuka at DE and thus Cushing is the pick.

32. Tennessee Titans – D.J. Moore, CB Vanderbilt

With the thirty-second selection, the Super Bowl champion Titans select CB D.J. Moore from in-state Vanderbilt. Tennessee's front office 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 Moore. Moore is a solid all around corner back that will be a nickel back at first and then eventually move into a starting role when Tennessee lets Nick Harper go. However, this pick could also be Clint Sintim from Virginia to infuse some youth into the linebacking core where Bulluck and Thornton are both aging veterans.

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