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Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Seven Round Mock Draft

I know most people think it’s a little silly to do a first round mock, and crazy to try anything larger than that. Well, call me crazy, but over the past six days I’ve plotted, scratched, changed and edited a full seven round mock draft for my, and hopefully, your enjoyment. With each selection I had to weigh how I would select if I were that team, what the team should do and what it will likely do before entering a name as their selection. There are several picks I don’t agree with completely but I know the teams, and the guys in charge don’t always do the smart move, instead they go for the “WOW” pick. With all that said, take a look and feel free to email me at Patrick@footballdialogue.com any comments, questions or views on the great weekend ahead of us. It’s Draft Time!!!!

UPDATED TO INCLUDE JARED ALLEN TRADE AND PACMAN JONES TRADE.

ROUND ONE

1- 1- 1 Miami: Jake Long OT Michigan…..Should go Chris Long here as Chris is the lowest risk in the draft but Jake is a nice selection overall and should help the line immediately.

1- 2- 2 St. Louis: Chris Long DE Virginia….Great character guy who will be face of the franchise for years to come and give the defense a great identity.

1- 3- 3 Atlanta: Glenn Dorsey DT LSU…..If I were making the selection I would go QB here and hope it would help erase the image of the franchise. With Dorsey’s past injuries and everything it’s a risk to go this high. With that said if healthy he’s the next Warren Sapp.

1- 4- 4 Oakland: Darren McFadden RB Arkansas…No way the Raiders should take McFadden with the stable of tailbacks they have but when has Al ever done what he should do.

1- 5- 5 Kansas City: Leodis McKelvin CB Troy….Everyone and their brother has the Chiefs taking a tackle here but I hope Carl Peterson is smart enough to see by grabbing McKelvin they get a shut down corner and a kick returner/special teams player they’ve be lacking since Dante Hall.

1- 6- 6 New York Jets: Vernon Gholston DE Ohio State..Smart,safe pick for this team which needs to improve the overall talent on it. Gholston should start and become a force early for the Jets.

1- 7- 7 New England from San Francisco: Keith Rivers OLB USC…While everyone and their brother will tell you the Patriots don’t draft linebackers in round one I think the time has come for that to change and Rivers is a day one starter for them.

1- 8- 8 Baltimore: Matt Ryan QB Boston College..McNair is gone and the Ravens need a new leader for their offense. Ryan is a safe, smart pick that should contend for rookie of the year.

1- 9- 9 Cincinnati: Sedrick Ellis DT USC….Ellis can be plugged in the middle of the d- line and create some serious pocket pressure.

1-10-10 New Orleans: Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie CB Tennessee State…Want a DT but will settle for this small school standout.

1-11-11 Buffalo: Devin Thomas WR Michigan State…A little high for a wide receiver but if they stay here Thomas is the ideal fit with the smaller guys on the roster at WR.

1-12-12 Denver: Ryan Clady OT Boise State…Need to address the tackle spot and 12 is a much safer spot to roll the dice on Clady than a top 5 selection.

1-13-13 Carolina: Rashard Mendenhall RB Illinois…Need a feature back and some thing Mendenhall is the best in the draft.

1-14-14 Chicago: Chris Williams OT Vanderbilt…Improved O-Line will do wonders for the Bears offense.

1-15-15 Detroit: Derrick Harvey DE Florida…May look tailback but hard to pass up Harvey at 15.

1-16-16 Arizona: Quentin Groves DE/OLB Auburn…Perfect fit for the defensive scheme the Cards want to be running in the desert.

1-17-17 Kansas City (from Minnesota): Phillip Merling DE Clemson….Great replacement for Jared Allen.

1-18-18 Houston: Jonathan Stewart RB Oregon…Green experiment failed so now they need to invest a pick on Stewart who is recovery from toe surgery.

1-19-19 Philadelphia: Branden Albert OG Virginia…While the ESPN boys have him pegged for the top five I think it’s too trendy for a guy who has played limit at tackle. He’s a better fit for a team like Philly who can slowly transition him to tackle while getting him time at guard early in his career.

1-20-20 Tampa Bay: Limas Sweed WR Texas..Big wideout that the Bucs need who slides a little due to some injury concerns.

1-21-21 Washington: James Hardy WR Indiana....Skins would like to trade down but if they stay here the selection of Hardy is easy. He’s a beast who can start off as their #3 receiver and move into a starting role in 2009.

1-22-22 Dallas from Cleveland: Felix Jones RB Arkansas….The Cowboys need a running back who is OK playing second fiddle to a star back but will give a 110% and even help out on special teams. Welcome to town Felix..

1-23-23 Pittsburgh: Jeff Otah OT Pittsburgh…Desperately need to add the offensive lineman and Otah will be a favorite early on for his blue collar style.

1-24-24 Tennessee: DeSean Jackson WR California…Vince Young needs weapons to take the next step and the talented Jackson gives them a legit #1 in the Steve Smith mold.

1-25-25 Seattle: Kentwan Balmer DT North Carolina…..Need a run stopper in the middle and Balmer is a great bargain at this point in round one.

1-26-26 Jacksonville: Calais Campbell DE Miami (Fla.)…Jags always looking to upgrade the line and Campbell is a freak of nature that will make passing to his side a very difficult concept for opposing quarterbacks.

1-27-27 San Diego: Mike Jenkins CB South Florida…..A little lower than Jenkins will likely go but will be a great replacement for Drayton Florence and initially a great nickel corner.

1-28-28 Dallas: Antoine Cason CB Arizona….Dallas three needs are CB, WR, and RB. They got Flex at 22 and now the best bargain is Cason who is a significant upgrade over J. Reeves. Cason will eventually replace Henry as a starter on the one side.

1-29-29 San Francisco (from Indianapolis): Andre Caldwell WR Florida….Perfect fit to the scheme that Martz will be installing in San Fran. Caldwell was MVP of the Senior Bowl and is a strong route runner who should contend for a starting role early in the season.

1-30-30 Green Bay: Aqib Talib CB Kansas…Some character and judgment questions lower his standing but if they can keep him on the right track he will be a huge impact to the Packers defense.

1-31-31 New York Giants: Kenny Phillips S Miami (Fla.) With recent Super Bowl defections the Giants need to retool the secondary and Phillips is a future Pro Bowl player in waiting. Grabbing him this late is an enormous steal.

ROUND TWO

2- 1-32 Miami: Dan Connor ILB Penn State… This team needs an upgrade just about everywhere and getting Connor for the defense is a great steal

2- 2-33 St. Louis: Gosder Cherilus OT Boston College…Eventually replacement for Orlando Pace and a likely starter for the next 12 years.

2- 3-34 Atlanta (from Oakland): Brian Brohm QB Louisville…Great fall back to passing on Ryan.

2- 4-35 Kansas City: Sam Baker OT USC….Day 1 starter.

2- 5-36 New York Jets: Early Doucet WR LSU…Likely day 1 starter who may push Coles for top receiver on the team.

2- 6-37 Atlanta: Dustin Keller TE Purdue….Crumpler’s replacement.

2- 7-38 Baltimore: Brandon Flowers CB Virginia Tech…Should start by the end of the year.

2-8-39 San Francisco: Jerod Mayo ILB Tennessee….Constantly looking to add to the linebacker core.

2- 9-40 New Orleans: Pat Sims DT Auburn….Unable to move up they get Sims for the middle

2-10-41 Buffalo: Martellus Bennett TE Texas A&M…Came out early and will likely be a favorite target of Trent Edwards.

2-11-42 Denver: Trevor Laws DT Notre Dame..Solid addition to the constantly changing defensive line.

2-12-43 Carolina: Joe Flacco QB Delaware….Will be groomed to be long term answer at QB.

2-13-44 Chicago: Malcolm Kelly WR Oklahoma…..Due to some poor workouts slide down the charts but would be a great steal at this point.

2-14-45 Detroit: Jamaal Charles RB Texas….Should start by opening day.

2-15-46 Cincinnati: Fred Davis TE USC

2-16-47 Minnesota: Chad Henne QB Michigan….Likely QB of the future once they realize Jackson was a mistake at QB.

2-17-48 Atlanta (from Houston): Anthony Collins OT Kansas

2-18-49 Philadelphia: Lawrence Jackson DE USC….Should take the Kearse snaps this year and eventually be a starter for Jim Johnson’s defense.

2-19-50 Arizona: Justin King CB Penn State

2-20-51 Washington: Cliff Avril OLB Purdue. A little earlier than some have projected but could be something special with a little pro coaching.

2-21-52 Tampa Bay: Dre Moore DT Maryland…After playoff loss it’s obviously they need to get bigger in the middle of the defense.

2-22-53 Pittsburgh: Roy Schuening OG Oregon State…Day 1 starter replacing Alan Faneca on the line.

2-23-54 Tennessee: Chris Johnson RB East Carolina…Speed back to go with the portly Lendale White.

2-24-55 Seattle: John Carlson TE Notre Dame….Great hands and a perfect receiving TE the Seahawks need.

2-25-56 Green Bay (from Cleveland): Mike McGlynn OG Pittsburgh.

2-26-57 Miami (from San Diego): Brad Cottam TE Tennessee..Huge target that should be great around the goal line for the Dolphins….if they get near it this year.

2-27-58 Jacksonville: DaJuan Morgan S North Carolina State….Should team with Reggie Nelson for year’s to come.

2-28-59 Indianapolis: Darrell Robertston DE Georgia Tech..Could always use help rushing the passer.

2-29-60 Green Bay: Carl Nicks OT Nebraska…Help for the line.

2-30-61 Dallas: Mario Manningham WR Michigan…Reports say poor support unit for Mario but in Dallas should get the chance to grow as the likely #3 before assuming a starting role down the road.

2-31-62 New England: Curtis Lofton ILB Oklahoma…More LB help.

2-32-63 New York Giants: Reggie Smith CB Oklahoma…Giants were burned during the season by their secondary. Smith is a talent who should help immediately.

1 comment:

  1. I'm glad the Seahawks didn't get Balmer. He's done awful in Frisco and was labled by some scouts as overrated. If only Holmgren would've taken a Steve Slaton at that spot instead...

    ReplyDelete

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