2008
NFL Mock
Draft - 7 Rounds
by Gregory Cox
Director of College
Football and NFL Analysis
4/25/08
Round 7
208) Miami – OT Franklin Dunbar (Middle Tennessee State)
More bulk
to make up for
the cuts on the offensive line. They just cut tackles Shelton, Alabi
and Toledo. Obviously more big bodies will be
drafted. If not, their quarterback could be a punching bag and whoever
runs the
ball might average around 3.5 yards per carry. Dunbar is the kind of
project that Sparano
wants to look for in this draft. They won’t turn around a 1-15 season
overnight.
209) Minnesota (via St.
Louis) – RB Chad Simpson (Morgan State)
Are the
Vikings picking
again? Well, if I must. Running back is probably the last place one
would
expect for the Vikings to look. However, they signed Maurice Hicks to
be their
return man in place of the departed Mewelde Moore. He’s 30 and if they can
grab a younger option it would interest them. Another factor is a
possible
future backup to Adrian Peterson because by running back standards
Chester
Taylor is old. They have enough picks to afford the luxury of doing
this. Simpson
brings low 4.4 speed in the 40, can return kicks and will be providing
relief
for “All Day”.
210) Kansas
City – FB Jerome Felton (Furman)
The
Chiefs aren’t the
dominant running team they are used to being in the Priest Holmes/Larry
Johnson
era. One of the problems is a lead blocker. Felton also gives them
another
option in short yardage where teams will have to respect the fake.
211) NY
Jets – DE/OLB Titus Brown (Mississippi State)
Last year
their team
leaders in sacks were rookie linebacker David Harris and end Shaun
Ellis with 5
each. They need better than that from their 3-4. Brown had 15.5 sacks
over his
final two seasons and could be a pass rush specialist.
212) Atlanta – OG Shannon
Tevaga (UCLA)
More help
on the offensive line before one of their quarterbacks gets
seriously hurt.
213) Oakland – DE Tommy Blake
(TCU)
Kalimba
Edwards (Lions)
replaces the departed Chris Clemons (Eagles) at the pass rushing
position.
Blake is a huge question mark, but he is the exactly the type of
players the
Raiders love to take late in drafts. No one really knows what to expect
from
him and it’s a mystery how many teams even have him on their board.
214) San
Francisco –
CB Justin Tryon (Arizona State)
Walt
Harris has had a
nice career spanning four teams, but will turn 34 in August. With every
passing
year it gets harder to keep up with the incoming collegiate talent that
is
faster and faster. They will want to add another option in case this
season
turns out to be his last.
215) Baltimore – SS/SF Dominique
Barber (Minnesota)
Their
safety position could use some depth and Barber
brings versatility.
216)
Detroit – TE Tom Santi
(Virginia)
Of the
grand total 209
career receptions their four tight ends have, Dan Campbell has 90 of
them. Now
that the mad scientist Mike Martz is no longer running the offense it
might be
time to add a quality tight end. Michael Gaines (Bills) is a start.
217) St.
Louis (via Cincinnati)
– SS Caleb
Campbell (Army)
Corey
Chavous can the
see the light at the end of his career’s tunnel.
220) Denver
– ILB J Leman
(Illinois)
Even
after adding two linebackers in free agency it wouldn’t surprise me
to see them look for a late round gem. Surgery
drops Leman, but it’s possible a team will see his value higher
than this.
221)
Carolina –
OLB Bryan Smith (McNeese State)
They have just about addressed every position in this draft and might
look at
some depth at linebacker after dropping the dead weight of Dan Morgan.
222) Chicago – OG Kerry Brown (Appalachian State)
Ruben
Brown is gone.
Perhaps last year’s
pick Josh Beekman can fill his spot,
but they need another young interior lineman to groom as Metcalf and
Garza are
at or near 30. The time to stock up isn’t when these guys are 32 or 33.
223)
Houston – FS D.J.
Parker (Virginia Tech)
Just
about every safety
they finished the season with hit free agency. Glenn Earl was retained
after
missing all of 2007 due to injury and Will Demps also signed. Four more
guys
remain free to sign elsewhere. They don’t have enough picks to solve every
problem early.
224)
Buffalo (via Philadelphia)
– FS Michael Grant 161.82
(Arkansas)
It looks
like 2006
starter Ko Simpson will be back from injury, but the free safety depth
chart is
very much up in the air leaving open the possibility of adding another
player
to the fold
225) Arizona – OT Tyler
Polumbus (Colorado)
The
Cardinals will be
looking to add more than one offensive lineman in this draft.
226)
Oakland (via
Minnesota/NY Jets) – WR Adrian Arrington (Michigan)
If the
Raiders went into
a draft with only one pick and were barred from making a trade I would
expect
them to take a cornerback who can also play wide receiver and is fast.
Since
the Hall trade and Wilson signing this might be a rare draft when the
secondary
is not targeted. The last time that happened was 2000 when two of their
six
picks were spent on their current kicker (Janikowski) and punter
(Lechler). The
Raiders have drafted 10 receivers in the past nine drafts, failing to
take one
only twice. Adding Javon Walker and Drew Carter to offset the loss of
Jerry
Porter helps, but last year’s third round pick Johnnie Lee Higgins
didn’t do
much other than return punts. Unlike his teammate, Arrington doesn’t
have great
production to fall back on that offsets his marijuana use. In a
shocking
development the Raiders don’t care.
227) Denver
(via Tampa Bay) – DT Lionel
Dotson (Arizona)
Even
after trading for Robertson I think the Broncos take another
defensive tackle.
228) Washington
– DT/DE Keilen Dykes (West Virginia)
The ‘Skins
can certainly use some depth in the middle of their defensive line.
229) Tennessee
– RB Ryan Torrain (Arizona State)
They got mixed results out of their running backs
last season. LenDale White was decent as the lead back logging 303
carries and
going over 100 yards rushing five times. Chris Brown is gone leaving
the backup
role in the hands of Chris Henry who disappointed as a rookie, barely
seeing
the field. He had 11 carries in a midseason win and 9 more in the
season
finale, but ran the ball just 11 times otherwise. An injury
shorted
senior season dips his draft stock, but he can play.
230) Philadelphia (via Seattle) – CB Darnell
Terrell (Missouri)
Again,
the Eagles have a
lot of picks and will be trading a few of them to secure better
positioning in
the middle rounds. If they hold onto this pick it might be used to grab
a
second cornerback to compete for the spot soon to be vacated by Lito
Sheppard.
231)
Cleveland –
RB Tony Temple (Missouri)
I said
prior to free
agency the Browns would be wise to hold Jamal Lewis because he probably
has one
or two more productive seasons in him. They did, for two years plus an
option
for a third. Still, this gives him some relief.
232) Atlanta
(via Pittsburgh) – DE Chase Ortiz (TCU)
This
obviously
isn’t their biggest need, but we’re late in the draft and they have a
lot of
picks.
233) Seattle
(via Jacksonville) – OT Geoff
Schwartz (Oregon)
At tackle
their stud
Walter Jones is aging, Sean Locklear has been signed while Tom Ashworth
was
cut.
234) San Diego
– WR Harry
Douglas (Louisville)
The
Chargers made a nice
move trading for Chris Chambers. However, they still aren’t very deep
at
receiver. Douglas is only 177 and couldn’t break 4.5, but
had two very productive seasons with Brian Brohm throwing to him. If he
falls
this far he might be worth a look.
235) Dallas – QB Colt Brennan
(Hawaii)
The
Cowboys haven’t had
much need for a backup quarterback in recent years because their
starters keep
staying healthy. However, this isn’t a position to mess with and Brad
Johnson
at 40 this September will not be a future option. Apparently some like
Richard
Bartel. If someone can tell me who he is and where Grapevine, Texas or Tarleton State are
located that would be great. Brennan,
the record setting quarterback from the WAC has plummeted after a poor
Sugar
Bowl and Senior Bowl showing. However, this could be an ideal spot for
him to
land because he’ll be in a dome. Other than a rainy road trip to San Jose State this
past season he has very little
experience in the elements, making this a good fit. Recent surgery
hurts his
stock even more as he has put on 30 pounds that isn’t muscle. Some
doubt if
he’ll even be drafted, but Jerry Jones will spare him that indignity.
236)
Indianapolis –
C Fernando Velasco (Georgia)
Jeff Saturday turns 33 in June and while they’ve already added a
guard this is more competition for camp on the interior line.
237) Green
Bay – QB Sam Keller
(Nebraska)
Most
people feel the
team is going to select a quarterback at some point to either serve as
their #2
or provide insurance against Aaron Rodgers not being able to handle the
starting job. They could also look at a player cut this summer to join
the
depth chart.
238) New
England – OG Chris
McDuffie (Clemson)
They have
a couple
guards over 30 and need to start fishing for a potential replacement
here. He
played tackle for the Golden Bears, but should project inside in the
NFL.
239) Kansas
City (via NY
Giants) – WR Mario Urrutia
(Louisville)
The
Chiefs are loaded with picks and can take their shot with a big
receiver here.
240) Baltimore
(compensatory) –
OG Andrew Crummey (Maryland)
Their offensive line needs more reinforcements.
241) Carolina
(compensatory) –
FB Mike Cox (Georgia Tech)
Fullback
is a pretty
demanding position on the human body. Nick Goings and Brad Hoover are
both over
30 so a little youth might be sought here.
242)
Washington
(compensatory) – OT Corey Clark (Texas A&M)
Jon Jansen has just about had it and they’ll need to look at another tackle for
depth.
243)
Chicago
(compensatory) – DT Barry Booker (Virginia Tech)
The Bears cut Darwin Walker and have three players (Harris, Dvoracek
and Adams)
recovering from injuries. This is a move for insurance and depth.
244) Cincinnati
(compensatory) – FB Jehuu Caulcrick (Michigan State)
They are really just looking for any player who can help their team at
this
point
245) Miami
(compensatory) –
RB Dantrell Savage (Oklahoma State)
It would be wise to consider a running back at some point in this
draft. Ronnie
Brown has yet to prove he can be a durable, full time starter in three
seasons.
Ricky Williams is on board, but is he really a Parcells type guy? They
say he
is pushing the right buttons with the troubled back. Last year’s
third round pick Lorenzo Booker is also in the mix.
246) Cincinnati
(compensatory) –
OT Demetrius Bell (Northwestern State)
After attacking every spot on the defensive end they take a shot at the
offensive line where tackles Levi Jones and Willie Anderson have
questionable
health .
247)
Chicago
(compensatory) – DE Trevor Scott (Buffalo)
Fishing for depth towards the end of the draft.
248) Chicago
(compensatory) –
CB Marcus Walker (Oklahoma)
This isn’t really a need, but they’ve already gone after nearly every
other
position on the field.
249) Washington
(compensatory) – FB Carl
Stewart (Auburn)
Mike Sellers is in his second tour with the team and turns 33 in July.
It’s
time to audition a replacement.
250) Carolina
(compensatory) –
OG Jordan Grimes (Purdue)
Consider this a little bit of insurance on the offensive line where
they have
made so many changes.
251)
Buffalo (compensatory)
– OT Thaddeus
Coleman (Mississippi Valley State)
I can only imagine his excitement knowing that he is the last
“relevant” player
to be taken. I’m still relevant!
252) St. Louis
(compensatory) –
ILB Ben Moffitt (South Florida)
The latest Mr. Irrelevant.
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