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2008
NFL Mock
Draft - 2 Rounds
by Jared Donnelly
NFL Draft Analyst
4/18/08
Round 1
We are
getting close here, folks. Less than two weeks from now, your NFL team
will either change their fortunes, or cement their identity as a team
by adding an individual that embodies it. With pro-days being over,
let’s take a look at what the first round looks like as of now.
1. Miami Dolphins – Jake Long, OT, Michigan
It looks like negotiations
could get done in the next week or
so, and Long will be their pick. Even if he never turns into a
franchise LT, he will be a very good RT for a lot of years. When you
are this bad, you have to start somewhere and getting a guy that can
line up for you for the next 12 years is a good place to start to build
some consistency.
2. St. Louis Rams – Glenn Dorsey, DT, LSU
Along with Carriker, they
have their front line upgraded
significantly as well as having it built for the future. Dorsey and
Carriker also both have ability to play the end spots so Dorsey would
give them a lot of versatility that can cause a lot of problems.
3. Atlanta Falcons – Matt Ryan, QB, Boston College
Got to have a franchise QB
in today’s NFL. Matt Ryan projects to
be better than Eli and he just won a Super Bowl. I would also look for
Atlanta to take Dorsey if he is available, and then trade back into the
bottom of the first to take a guy like Flacco or Briohm. They have the
picks to move up and Washington might want to pick up some extra picks.
4. Oakland Raiders – Vernon Gholston, DE/OLB, OSU
They spent a lot of money on
Fargas and Walker to try to bolster
that offense but a pass rush so that Asomugha and Hall aren’t
victimized all day is paramount at this point. Rumor has it that they
love him and he is moving way up on their board.
5. Kansas City Chiefs – Ryan Clady, OT, Boise St.
I think that this is
definitely a reach. However, it addresses
their biggest need that they can do something about at this point in
the offseason. If Ryan, Long, and Dorsey are all gone, I still think
that they will trade this pick to move down and still address the line
and some other spots of need.
6. New York Jets – Chris Long, DE, Virginia
Long slips because of the
rise of Gholston and not because he
did anything wrong. In today’s NFL, if you are going to put together a
3-4 defense, you have to have the tackle, and the 3-4 ends. Long,
opposite Ellis and along side Jenkins would cement the front three in
their 3-4. With Harris’ emergence last season as a rookie, and Revis a
near pro-bowl caliber player, the young Jets defense could help them
win games until the offense catches up.
7. New England Patriots – Darren McFadden, RB,
Arkansas
While this is a good
situation for the Patriots, they do have
some other needs and could well move this pick to address them (LB, CB,
S). Chicago, Dallas, and a few other teams would be very interested in
this pick should it become available.
8. Baltimore Ravens – Leodis McKelvin, CB, Troy
Their corners are aging and
at this point, probably the best
player available. Not a great value here but still very good. They
could look to move up to take Ryan, or address their woes on the o-line
if/when Ogden doesn’t return.
9. Cincinnati Bengals – Sedrick Ellis, DT, USC
I like Ellis so much, I had
him one to the Dolphins in my last
mock. Admittedly, that was more of a statement about how good I think
Ellis is than it was anything. However, The Bengals are a great fit.
The question is, will he be there? Will Cinci feel like they have to
move up to take him? Also look at Keith Rivers, Kentwan Balmer
(although too early) or a trade up or down. Personally, I think they
stay here and get their man.
10. New Orleans Saints – Keith Rivers, LB, USC
Not terribly explosive, but
definitely a solid all around LB.
Personally, my second best linebacker on my board, but widely
considered a safer bet than my number one LB, Jerod Mayo. Rivers is
capable of the “wow play” but basically just gets the job done. Will
pair nicely with Vilma as N.O starts to build that defense.
11. Buffalo Bills –
Derrick Harvey, DE, Florida
Who is Buffalo’s pass
rusher? That’s basically my point here.
Harvey is an absolute powerhouse and in a division with good lines
(except Miami, although they get better with Long) you have to be able
to pressure the QBs to win games. Harvey may have an adjustment period
longer than a Phil Merling, but also has a higher ceiling. Could go WR
here too.
12. Denver Broncos – Brandon Albert, G, Virginia
I think he projects more as
a guard than a tackle but in that
blocking scheme, and with a weak line, Denver is OK with using a high
pick on a guard. He is super athletic and can and probably will play
some tackle throughout his season as Shanahan moves guys around to
create mismatches along that line to mask some of the weaker points of
it.
13. Carolina Panthers – Chris Williams, OT, Vanderbilt
With a smaller back in
DeAngelo Williams and an aging QB, they
could look to take one of those two positions too, but they still have
to protect them. Williams is the best offensive lineman on the board to
do that with.
14. Chicago Bears – Jeff Otah, OT, Pittsburgh
Whoever is running or
throwing in Chicago is going to need some
help. With good options available in rounds 2-4, I don’t think that RB
is a big enough need to take one at this point. It’s tough to imagine
them having all that money tied up in one position when their line and
QB position are in such disarray. I think Otah will fit in nicely there
and provide Benson enough room to prove that he is worthy of his
pay-day and of being their no.1 back.
15. Detroit Lions – Rashard Mendenhall, RB, Illinois
They have to have a back to
compliment or perhaps feature in the
backfield and since their other option is Tatum Bell, this pick to me
is very easy. They can throw all they want, but without some balance,
it could be tough going with those defenses in that division.
Mendenhall is the easy clear cut choice here.
16. Arizona Cardinals – Mike Jenkins, CB, South
Florida
This is sort of the same
situation as Chicago. They have a
productive back in place, and while Edge is aging, there is too much
value in rounds 2-4 to take a back here. Moving Rolle to safety
necessitates that they continue to search for a lockdown corner.
Jenkins is a nice fit there with size and speed, but must learn not to
gamble so much and to help out with the run.
17. Minnesota Vikings – Devin Thomas, WR, Michigan
State
All of the sudden, Thomas is
shooting up draft boards ahead of
guys like Jackson, Hardy, and most recently Malcolm Kelly. Jackson
would be thrilled with this pick because it would add depth and a big
fast threat that he doesn’t really have right now. I think Jackson
could be the answer in Minnesota but if that’s the case, they need to
give him weapns. Suddenly Bernard Berrian, Sidney Rice, and Devin
Thomas seem like a solid trio. The other guy I love here and that makes
sense is Phillip Merling.
18. Houston Texans – Jonathan Stewart, RB, Oregon
Did the injury hurt him?
Probably a little bit but not enough to
make me think he will fall too far past this spot. I previously had him
going to the 49ers but at this point, Stewart being on the board and
the Texans never having had a premiere back to rely on, makes this pick
much easier. They could go with OTGosder Cherilus.
19. Philadelphia Eagles – Gosder Cherilus, OT, Boston
College
I maintain that this is
their biggest need. It doesn’t matter
who you have at WR if you can’t protect Donovan McNabb who seems to be
made of glass lately. Cherilus has the size and agility to thrive in
Philly and provide some protection for McNabb while he helps ease some
of the pain Westbrook takes on by opening up some holes.
20. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Dominique
Rogers-Cromartie, CB, Tennessee. St.
If he falls this far, this
is an easy pick. They lost out on
Asante Samuel in free agency and have to do something about that
backfield. With no safeties worthy of being chosen in round one, they
take the value, and probably steal of the draft, in DRC.
21. Washington Redskins –
Phillip Merling, DE, Clemson
I love Merling and think he
could, and probably should go higher than this but with the way things
have shaken down on this board, this is a great pick for value and need
and Washington is thrilled he is there. They could look WR but with
Thomas gone, I think they go for the biggest need on the other side of
the ball. Sweed, Hardy, and Kelly are all possibilities here as well if
the want to go for a big WR. I just think they like Thomas more, and
with him gone, they NEED to address their anemic pass rush.
22. Dallas Cowboys (via Cleveland) – Limas Sweed, WR,
Texas
The injury history is a bit
of a concern but his size and explosiveness are too good to pass up
here. Glenn is on his way out and TO disappears in big games and drops
too many passes to think he will be a top 5 guy for too much longer.
This is a need pick and at the same time, they can afford to wait for
Sweed to heal and develop.
23. Pittsburgh Steelers – Kentwan Balmer, DT, North
Carolina
Would probably play end in
the 3-4 and provide some depth there. They could look for a back as
Michael Abromowitz suggests but I don’t think that at this point they
want a Willie Parker clone in Felix Jones. Balmer’s versatility could
be very valuable to their 3-4 scheme and could serve as a very nice
nickel or dime tackle in pass rushing situations.
24. Tennessee Titans – Jerod Mayo, LB, Tennessee
Not full of “wow plays” but
had a ton of tackles in the nasty fast SEC. They have Bullock and
Thornton, but they need some youth there as well as some speed to build
some defensive consistency. If Kelly didn’t totally tank in his pro-day
(timed at 4.9 in the forty by some watches) he would be the pick here.
25. Seattle Seahawks – DeSean Jackson, WR, Cal
Deion Branch is mercurial at
best and Bobby Engram, despite a good year, is not getting any younger.
With Jackson, the makeover of their offense is complete. They need a TE
as well, but with great TE s available in round two and round three, it
is easy to see them take a WR here. Could go DT as well, but with
Balmer gone, anyone else would be a reach.
26. Jacksonville Jaguars – Dan Connor, LB, Penn State
They could use more depth
and athleticism in the LB core and Connor is a steady, playmaking LB
that can cover as well as stop the run. He just seems like a Del Rio
guy when you watch him play. He is hardnosed and gritty and in that
division, they need that power and heat up front. Not a great pass
rusher, but adequate.
27. San Diego Chargers – Felix Jones, RB, Arkansas
My number 1 back in this
year’s class. With Turner gone, they need someone to spell LT so that
he doesn’t get completely pounded. With his ability to catch the ball
and make a lot of plays in the open field, he could find himself on the
field at the same time as LT on third downs and other such situations.
A real game changer with his speed. Maybe not the ideal situation for
Felix, but SD is thrilled to snag him here.
28. Dallas Cowboys – Aqib Talib, CB, Kansas
Even if they do work
something out for Pac Man, they still need another corner opposite
Newman who is turning out to be a nice pro. The marijuana issue hurt
Talib’s stock a little bit and Dallas benefits. Has to stop gambling
and trying to jump so many routes to be really effective but that can
be helped by coaching and drilling.
29. San Francisco 49ers – Malcolm Kelly, WR, Oklahoma
Its hard to see him falling
any further than this even with slow times. Whoever is the QB there has
to have a big target and with cutting Jackson, the need is even more
prevalent. They could go LB if one of the big three LB are still
available, but in this scenario, Kelly makes the most sense.
30. Green Bay Packers – Fred Davis, TE, USC
They like to run some two TE
stuff on offense and losing Franks only hurts if they don’t replace
him. I don’t think they go corner here anymore because Cason’s stock
has dropped a little bit in my eyes. Davis is versatile and would give
Aaron Rogers a nice little dump off target as well as a flex threat on
third downs and in the redzone.
31. New York Giants – Kenny Phillips, S, Miami
This is strictly a need
pick. I see it as a bit of a reach at this point in the draft but they
need to sure up that pass defense and with LBs off the board, Phillips
seems like the best option to do that here.
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