2 Detroit (Needs: OL, DL, LB, and DB): Gerald McCoy DT. Comment: OT Okung is really a strong possibility here but with so many eligible OTs and having drafted one in the first round previously, feel they move to solidify that DL that hasn’t had a strong presence in the middle since Shaun Rogers. Feel they will go OT in second to protect their QB future.
3 Tampa Bay (Needs: Any position on defense): Eric Berry S. Comment: Think Tampa really wants to trade down here five to ten places to get value at DE. Eric Berry is nice but they really want a DE such as Dunlap or Pierre-Paul to shore up their weak ends. Picking a DE here might be just a little bit of reach. If they cannot, then go with highest rated player in an area they do need but not as bad as DE.
4 Washington (Needs: OL, DE, QB, and WR): Jimmy Clausen QB. Comment: Campbell most likely is not what Shannahan wants in a QB. Now they have the choice between Clausen or Bradford. Although the rumblings out of DC say Bradford, got to believe it has to be Clausen because he is from a pro-set offense under center and was successful in it. They also need OL help real bad but will probably address it in the second round.
5 Kansas City (Needs: OL, DL, DB, and WR): Russell Okung OT. Comment: No question that OL needs help. They make the Niners OL look like a Hall of Fame group. Saying that, they are grateful the stars are aligned so that they can get the highest rated OT in the draft.
6 Seattle (Needs: OT, OG, QB, and DB): Sam Bradford QB. Comment: With Peter Carroll recently hired, he does not have to win immediately and can look at the long term. Saying that, he needs a future QB that he can ride with after this year. Here comes Bradford who just happens to be there. Now they can go for OL and DE help with their next two picks.
7 Cleveland (Needs: DL, WR, CB, TE, RB, RT and RG): Joe Haden CB. Comment: RB Spiller looks real attractive at this point because Jerome Harrison has been streaky this past season. With Spiller, he is instant offense and can play KR, PR, slot, as well as RB. But if Cribbs is not traded, the need for Spiller is not as crucial. Therefore, they go with the best defender available and hitting an area of need in Haden.
8 Oakland (Needs: OL, DE, QB, TE, and OLB): Jacoby Ford WR… No, just kidding. Choice is Carlos Dunlap DE. Comment: This is a hard one because of wacky Al. They have needs on both sides of the line—especially since Richard Seymour is not happy there. So go with the highest rated DE. Other options could be an OT since still value there but feel they go DE. But this one is always subject to change because of Al.
9 Buffalo (Needs: OT, QB, OLB, WR, and DL): Dez Bryant WR. Comment: Buffalo allowed over 13 runners at least 80 yards a game. So stopping the run is a must. Their DL is getting old and the OLB are much to be desired. Do they go with LB McClain or any of the available DL or OL? But with TO experiment over, feel they go with his solid replacement.
10 Jacksonville (Needs: DE, S, OLB, interior OL, and QB) Derrick Morgan DE. Comment: Anyone who saw that Jacksonville game vs. San Francisco knows how bad their pass rush is. With Morgan still available and filling an area of need, this is the pick. Problem is this pick can change if Jacksonville commits back to a 3-4 team because Morgan is a 4-3 DE.
11 Denver (from Chicago) (Needs: DL, CB, WR, and QB) Rolando McClain LB. Comment: Their DL is adequate but not great. But got to go with the best available defensive player in LB McClain. Don’t think he will be as fast as our boy Willis but has the same heart, determination, and is a tad bigger.
12 Miami (Needs: DL, OLB, WR, CB, interior OL, and QB) Dan Williams DT. Comment: With DT, OLB, and WR as big needs, have to see what is the overall highest rated player here. Think they would have wanted McClain but with him gone, got to go with best available athlete in area of need. The choice is between DT Williams and OLB Brandon Graham. Probably feel they another 3-4 OLB will be available by the second, go with size in the middle with Williams.
13 San Francisco (Needs: OL, CB, OLB pass rusher, SS, and QB) Anthony Davis OT. Comment: Oh the possibilities. This is like being at the Bellagio buffet wanting to eat everything but know there is no room. Who do you pick? Options are RB Spiller, OTs Bulaga, Williams, Davis, or Campbell, OG/T Iupati, FS Earl Thomas, and Pass rushers Graham and Jason Pierre-Paul. Would love Spiller here but it all starts with the OL. Got to go with highest rated OT. Push comes to shove, got to believe Davis is the highest rated OT at this point and he is the pick.
14 Seattle (from Denver) = (Needs: OT, OG, QB, and DB): Bryan Bulaga OT. Comment: Since Bradford was chosen earlier, Seattle has got to start protecting him. Iupati might be interesting but with his so-so showing at OT in the Senior Bowl, the ability for him to shift to the outside for this pick seems too much of a gamble. Therefore they go safe and choose Bulaga.
15 New York Giants (Needs: DL, OL, LB, and DB): Earl Thomas S. Comment: They need DL and OL help with both sides starting to age but Earl Thomas is so hard not to pull the trigger on here. An all around safety like him can QB that defense for the next decade. DLs Price and Griffen are potential options as is Iupati but G is not a real huge need and decent DL might be available in the second. Therefore go with Thomas.
16 Tennessee (Needs: DE, CB, LB, and WR): Jason Paul-Pierre DE. Comment: With an aging LB corp, really would have wanted McClain and Spikes is too early at this point. Current pass rushers are aging so this is an area of need. So go with value with need here.
17 San Francisco (from Carolina) (Needs: see above) Brandon Graham OLB/DE. Comment: This guy has been destroying OTs all season and increased his exposure at the Senior Bowl. OG Iupati and RB Spiller are both real tempting but teams win with OTs and pass rushers first. So go with what the brain says instead of the heart.
18. Pittsburgh (Needs DE, OT, ILB, and backup CB/S): Trent Williams OT. Comment: He probably should have gone to the Senior Bowl and it hurt him by dropping him down all the way to the 18th pick. But Pittsburg is pinching themselves that they got what was potentially a top ten pick all the way to 18.
19. Atlanta (Needs CB, DE, S, OLB, and WR): Cory Wooton DE. Comment: They really need guys to cover the corner but the remaining CBs all have late first to second round grades and that makes choosing one here a little bit of a reach. So go with best available pass rusher/DE in Wooton.
20. Houston (Needs G, CB, DT, S, and RB) C.J. Spiller RB. Comment: Their interior OL needs upgrading is always being pushed back. CB has also been a weakness leading to many shootouts. But with a talent like Spiller still available, will have to fill OL in next round. Now they become really dangerous.
21. Cincinnati (Needs S, G, TE, WR, LB) Mike Iupati OG. Comment: They really need a deep middle man who can be the enforcer in the back. With Thomas off the board, the remaining safeties all have similar lower grades. But Mike Iupati is there staring them in the eye. People are saying he is such a sure thing at G and a perennial pro-bowler. Got to pick up Iupati here.
22. New England (Needs OLB, ILB, RB, DL, and OL) Brian Price DT/DE. Comment: Can’t believe it but their defense is starting to show signs of age. That being said, they need help in all front seven positions. As for OL, if OGs test free agency, this area will be a position needing upgrading as well. Since it all starts in the trenches, feel they first start with having a replacement for Richard Seymour with Price.
23. Green Bay (Needs OL, OLB, S) Bruce Campbell OT. Comment: With Rodgers taking so many hits last year, it’s a wonder he was still alive let alone play at a high level. Seeing that, got to address the OL and get insurance to help block for Rodgers blind side.
24. Philadelphia (Needs LB, G, CB, DE, and RB) Kyle Wilson CB. Comment: Their corners are aging along with many of the defenders. RB is going to be a needs because of constant injuries. But many of the players at this point have similar grades and due to that fact, go with a position that gets soaked up quick with what many feel is the second highest rated CB in the draft.
25. New York Jets (Needs S, WR, G, OLB, OT) Golden Tate WR. Comment: They have been needing a WR so bad for so long. No way Dez Bryant drops here so they look carefully at Benn and Tate. Benn has the better measurables but Tate just seems more consistent. Feel that what makes Tate the choice.
26. Baltimore (Needs CB, WR, DE, NT, and TE) Arrelious Benn WR. Comment: Ozzy Newsome always goes with guys who produce. That track record has never failed him. Therefore, he will go with Arrelious Benn, the highest rated player left on the board in an area of need.
27. Arizona (Needs ILB, OT, OLB, CB, QB, and TE) Brandon Spikes ILB. Comment: With Warner’s retirement, QB may seem like a need but Leinart really never was failure. He had a decent rookie season but could not beat out Warner who we see now as a potential Hall-of-Famer with his resurgence. Now that he is at the helm, feel they will see how he does this coming year. That said, feel they will go with either ILB Spikes or best available OT. Since the remaining OTs have mid-second round grades, feel they go with a player of need with value for the pick in Spikes.
28. Dallas (Needs S, OLB, OT, WR, and NT) Nate Allen S. Comment: Feel the pokes will try to trade down because so many players are now the next tier-level down. If a trade cannot be pulled, feel they pull the trigger on the next level of safeties and the best choice of that group is between Allen, the two Jones’, and Burnett. So close but feel Allen has a little better coverage skills and he is the pick. For those saying what about Mays, they already went through Roy Williams who was a liability in coverage, so feel they will skip him.
29. Minnesota (Needs CB, OLB, and QB) Perrish Cox CB. Comment: Now that two corners have gone, the only one worth a late-first to early second is Perrish Cox. No doubt he will not be available when they pick in the second, so he is the pick.
30. San Diego (Needs S, RB, NT, OT, and OLB) Sergio Kindle, OLB/DE. Comment: With Merriman a question mark and free-agent, they need his replacement. Even though they have other needs, Kindle is highest rated overall player in area of need. So that is the choice.
31. New Orleans (Needs OT, OLB, S, and G) Navorro Bowman OLB. Comment: Pretty solid team needing only a few adjustments here and there. OT might be a consideration but Charles Brown, Fox, and Ducasse all have enough question marks at this point making them a little bit of a gamble for the teams first pick. Bowman has been productive but is not huge. But with so much talent on the DL, he just has to chase and cover the ball carriers, which he seems to do well.
32. Indianapolis (Needs S, DL, OT, and OG) Jared Odrick DT. Comment: They cannot believe Odrick drops all the way to the last pick in the first round. DL is an area of need and with value here, they jump on Odrick immediately.
ROUND TWO:
33 St. Louis OT Charles Brown. Comment: Now is the time to start picking up body guards for Burger or whoever else will be playing that position for the Rams.
34 Detroit - OG Jon Asamoah. Comment: Now they go with strengthen the other side of the trenches. OT is a need but highest rated OL here is at Guard. So Asamoah is the pick.
35 Tampa Bay - DE Everson Griffen. Comment: They now can address the DE they wanted and get luck with Everson Griffen still available. He once was reported to run a sub 4.5 40 right before entering college.
36 Kansas City - OT John Jerry. Comment: With Okung as their future LT, they now have his bookend on the right for the next ten years. Matt Cassel must be sleeping real well now.
37 Washington - C Maurkice Pouncey. Comment: With the sudden rush of OTs, Washington may feel they need to push the trigger now. But is there enough value here? Feel like they want to trade down but can they? If not, then go with best available interior lineman since center is also an area of need.
38 Cleveland – TE Jermaine Gresham. Comment: With the trade of Winslow, they were a revolving door at TE. Although there are other needs, when Gresham drops to the second round, go to make the choice here.
39 Oakland – SS Taylor Mays. Comment: Again Big Al likes guys with all the measurables. This one looks like a match made in heaven for Al and the Raiders.
40 Seattle - RB Jahvid Best. Comment: Pete Carroll cannot believe his luck. He gets both a franchise QB and homerun RB with a perennial ten-year left tackle. Of course Carroll knows Best very well since he played against him several times with USC.
41 Buffalo – QB Colt McCoy. Comment: I think Buffalo might have a nice draft here. With Dez Bryant and McCoy, just solidified their offense for the next several years. Quietly, this is becoming a very good draft for them.
42 New England – NT Terrence Cody. Comment: Now that they got the 3-4 end in Price, they need to give him help with the big fat man in the middle. No better then Cody at this point. Now the aging DL is becoming real young, real soon.
43 Miami - OLB Jerry Hughes. Comment: Keeping up with New England, Miami also reinforces their defense by getting a nice 3-4 pass rusher in Hughes.
44 Tampa Bay – OLB/DE Ricky Sapp. Comment: Sapp is a great athlete playing DE in college. He might be too small for DE in the pros so feel TB may convert him to OLB or try to bulk him so he can play on the opposite side of Griffen.
45 Denver – CB Donavan Warren. Comment: All the good DL have been taken and at this point, too much of a reach. Since the CBs are getting a little long in the tooth, a good time to replenish with new talent. With Warren still available, he is the pick.
46 New York Giants - OT Vladmir Ducasse. Comment: NY has to start building up both sides of the line. Since the run on defensive lineman provides slim picking here, go with best OT available. Although Ducasse had a bad Senior Bowl, he is still shows enough promise for this pick.
47 New England – RB Ryan Matthews. Comment: New England would like to get a pass rushing OLB for their aging unit but some might still be available with their last second rounder. The same may not be true for quality all-down RBs. With Matthews there, he will help provide backup and support for the inconsistent Maroney who seems to get in the doghouse.
48 Carolina – DE Alex Carrington. Comment: Their DE and CBs are getting older. Have to see who is available at this point since they lost their first rounder to the Niners. Got to go with best available player and that seems to be DE Carrington. CBs Patrick Robinson and McCourty are viable options but with Peppers future still in doubt and last year’s second rounder Brown’s poor performance, they try another DE.
49 San Francisco – RB Dexter McCluster. Comment: Both pass rusher and OT being addressed in the first round, where do the Niners go from here? How about Mr. Electricity in Dexter McCluster who can play KR, PR, slot, 3rd down back, and the wildcat. CBs are real tempting here but the ones that are remaining cannot be used as special teams returners except for Arenas, and he is too small to be picked at this point in the draft.
[ Edited by KOniner on Feb 1, 2010 at 4:29 PM ]
