2009 Mock Draft, Picks 1-16

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. Cincinnati Bengals – Michael Oher, OT Ole Miss

With the second selection, the Bengals go out and grab the big tackle from Mississippi, Michael may be slipping in people's eyes but I still think he's 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.

3. Seattle Seahawks – Malcolm Jenkins, CB Ohio State

With the third selection, the Seahawks go out and grab 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.

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

With the fourth 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.

5. Oakland Raiders – Eugene Monroe, OT Virginia

With the fifth 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 well 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.

6. Jacksonville Jaguars – Michael Crabtree, WR Texas Tech

With the sixth selection, the Jaguars go out and select the 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.

7. Cleveland Browns – Chris Wells, RB Ohio State

With the seventh 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 likliehood, 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 coming 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.

8. San Diego Chargers – Rey Maualuga, LB USC

With the eighth selection San Diego has a wealth of needs to pick from, none that make sense here though as they could use OL depth since Goff might be leaving in the offseason, but it might still be too early for Duke Robinson to go. They also need a good 3-4 DE but again, potentially too early for Tyson Jackson. So, I think San Diego picks an in-state icon in the wild blitzing backer Maualuga and instantly upgrades the inside linebacker position for the Chargers who really don't have much in there. This is definitely a BPA pick, but San Diego could also trade down so that a team could come up and grab a DE like Michael Johnson or Greg Hardy before there's a run on them.

9. Buffalo Bills – Michael Johnson, DE Georgia Tech

With the ninth selection, the frigid Bills select Michael Johnson from Georgia Tech. 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 go out and grab the ridiculously huge DE from G-Tech, Michael Johnson 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.

10. Kansas City Chiefs – Greg Hardy, DE Ole Miss

With the tenth selection in the draft, the Chiefs select their most pressing need of all, a DE who can get to the QB. Kansas City has about as many sacks this season as Osi Umenyiora had in one game against Philly last year. Tamba Hali is not a pass rusher, he's a run stuffer and a motor player, but he lacks the speed around the edge so the Chiefs grab the next pass rusher in Hardy to play the rush end while Hali mans the other side and hopefully help out Dorsey and Tyler inside.

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

With the eleventh selection, the 49ers go BPA and Mays is that player. What was potentially a top 10 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 SoCal.

12. Houston Texans – Everette Brown, DE Florida State

With the twelfth selection, the Texans grab the next pass rusher on the board in Brown from Florida State. The Texans have not gotten much from their defensive line this season with exception for Mario Williams and bringing in Brown will give the Texans a young and fantastic defensive line that will take serious pressure off the secondary. This pick could also be William Moore from Mizzou but I think the Texans need to take the best DE on the board as elite pass rushers are being snapped up quickly.

13. New Orleans Saints – Aaron Curry, LB Wake Forest

With the thirteenth selection, the Saints go out and grab the best defensive playmaker on the board in the sure tackling, sideline to sideline machine in Aaron Curry. The Saints upgraded their defense when they traded for Vilma, but aside from Vilma I can't even think of who the other two OLBs for the Saints are. I think maybe a rotation of Shanle, Simoneau and Fujita… yeah, not great in my opinion so the Saints grab Curry and he starts from day one and is probably going to immediately be in consideration for defensive rookie of the year.

14. Philadelphia Eagles – Ciron Black, OT LSU

With the fourteenth selection, the Eagles have a wealth of needs as well and with news that Tre Thomas and Jon Runyan will probably be let go and with the injury woes to Andrews and Jean-Gilles, the Eagles are definitely going to go OL here and since I think they have better depth at guard, I think they go OT with Ciron Black from LSU. Ciron is a solid pass blocker and devastating run blocker opening huge holes against great opponents in the SEC. He'll definitely be a pick Andy Reid will enjoy making… if he retains his job of course.

15. Green Bay Packers – George Selvie, DE South Florida

With the fifteenth selection, the Green Bay Packers and Ted Thompson grab the next best pass rusher on the board in George Selvie from South Florida. With the release of KGB and severe lack of production from the defensive line after losing Jenkins to injury and Williams to the Browns, the Packers are in need of a book end for Aaron Kampman and Selvie is staring them right in the face, it's going to be a tough transition from Florida to Green Bay but it's definitely a fit.

16. Chicago Bears – Vontae Davis, CB Illinois

With the sixteenth selection, Da Bears select cornerback Vontae Davis. The Bears have really suffered from injuries and poor play in the secondary this season and may be the only reason they don't win the division this year. This pick could also be a WR like Darrius Heyward-Bey, but I think Lovie Smith goes with what he knows and that's a strong running game and suffocating defense and in order to do that, he needs a guy who can cover and Davis fits that bill.

Be sure to stay tuned for picks 17-32!