First Mock 08

[SkinzFan007]

yea yea i know its early for doin mocks but i love this stuff. thought itd give you guys some good knowledge of what players are out there and kinda where they are projected near.

please keep in mind that i really dont even consider trades at this point.

1 Miami Dolphins - Glenn Dorsey DT LSU

Both starters are over 30 and Dorsey is the best DT prospect we've seen in years. They might get some teams lookin to trade up for McFadden but I don't project trades in my mocks till a couple weeks before draft.

2. New England Patriots from San Fran - Darren McFadden RB Arkansas

This really isn't even fair to the NFL. Sure they picked Maroney but the NFL is moving more and more to a duel RB league. Maroney has shown this year that he is more productive when splitting carries and hes had some nagging injuries. The Pats could also trade down for a linebacker or cb if they lose Asante.

3. Atlanta Falcons - Brian Brohm QB Louisville

They'd love Mcfadden but if they draft at 3 then he'll probably be off the board. The QB situation in ATL is awful and Petrino won't turn down the chance to bring in his boy from Louisville.

4. New York Jets - Chris Long DE VA

The Jets have a lot of needs and a playmaker on defense is one of them. If Phillips starts to rise come draft time I could see him getting a look here but Long has the abilities and attitude that coaches dream of at the next level. He will immediately step in as the starter.

5. St. Louis Rams - Jake Long OT Michigan

Milford sucks and Barron is really better set for RT anyway. Jake Long is close to as good of a prospect as Joe Thomas was last year and a better prospect than DBrick was before that.

6 Cincinnati Bengals - James Laurinaitis ILB Ohio State

Everyone knows the Benglas have a lot of holes on defense. They could look for a linebacker or a defensive lineman with this pick. Of those positions, Laurinaitis is the best available. He is a vocal leader on the field and loves to make big plays.

7 Kansas City Cheifs - Calais Campbell DE Miami

Jared Allen hits the FA market this offseason and will probably get a big pay day from somebody. If that happens the Cheifs have an immediate hole at defensive end. Calais was the #1 DE prospect to start the year but he hasn't been as productive as last year but his ability and potential still keep him in the top 10.

8 Baltimore Ravens - Matt Ryan QB Boston College

Mcnair is beyond finished in the NFL and Boller is no better than a career back up. The fans here in Baltimore are ready to start grooming the quarterback of the future. They could also look at Andre Woodson at this spot as well. Ryan and Woodson will flip spots frequently on the draft board over the next few months.

9 Oakland Raiders - Sedrick Ellis DT USC

Ellis is a guy that is extremely underrated in this draft. He is not much of a downgrade from Dorsey and could continue to move up draft boards. Oakland could also use a WR but at this position there isn't one that comes close to Ellis in terms of value.

10 New Orleans Saints - Malcom Jenkins CB Ohio State

Tough call here between Phillips and Jenkins. No matter what they do they have to address the defensive backfield. They have two young safeties already in Bullucks and Harper and a bigger need at CB. David has been awful this year and McKenzie seems to be on the downside of his career.

11 Houston Texans - Kenny Phillips S Miami

Will Demps has had trouble even getting into the starting line up since getting signed through free agency and Boulware hasn't been able to make the switch from linebacker. Phillips is a guy that would give them a legit threat at safety to support the run game and defend in the passing game. Something the Texans really need.

12 Denver Broncos - Ryan Clady OT Boise State

Broncos could also look at linebacker so don't rule that option out. Lepsis is aging so this is a good opportunity to pick up a guy to groom under him. Clady fits the Broncos running style very well and could even more into the top 10 if he is to declare and have solid workouts at the combine.

13 Carolina Panthers - Andre Woodson QB Kentucky

I gotta admit that I was one of those guys rooting for David Carr in Carolina. I thought that a change of scenery might do him well but I was definitely wrong. The guy lost his job to a 43 year old retired quarterback for gods sake. A lot of Panthers fans still believe in Delhomme, but it wont be easy for him to recover from tommy johns surgery. That and he is 32.

14 Washington Redskins - Vernon Gholston DE Ohio State

For the past few years Redskins fans have hoped that the Skins would draft a franchise defensive lineman. With the Redskins holding all 3 of their first day draft picks this year, the chance is as good as any. Gholstons 4 sack game against Wisconsin and 3 sack game against Michigan this year has shown that he is a legit pro prospect. He is a workout warrior and a physical freak.

15 Philadelphia Eagles - Dan Conner OLB Penn State

Sure the Eagles need a wide receiver but Andy Reid never seems to want to draft one in the first round. O Line could also get a look at this spot too. Conner is the latest of first round Penn State linebackers and is a tackle machine. He is a better pro prospect than Poz was a year ago.

16 Chicago Bears - Desean Jackson WR Cal

Jackson could have been a top 10 pick but his production this year has dropped him slightly on most boards. He is still a home run threat on a team that desperately needs some firepower on offense, especially if they lose Berrian in free agency.

17 Arizona Cardinals - Derrick Harvey DE/OLB Florida

Dockett has been incredible this year pressuring the quarterback from inside but the Cards lack a guy that can come from the outside. Harvey can stand up or play with his hand to the ground and has a lot of potential at the next level if he's put in the right situation.

18 Buffalo Bills - Malcom Kelly WR Oklahoma

Someone has to take some pressure off of Lee Evans who gets double teamed on every play. You can't possibly develop Trent Edwards into a good quarterback unless you get him another receiver to throw to. Kelly has good speed, good hands, and some nice size that will help Edwards find him.

19 Minnesota Vikings - Michael Oher OT/OG Ole Miss

Oher is a guy that could fly up boards if he decides to declare. He is the most versatile lineman in the draft. The Vikings already have a great left side of the line with Hutch and McKinnie but they are weak on the right side. The Vikings could always look for a new qb but the big 3 are off the board and for some odd reason they are contect with Jackson at the helm.

20 Detroit Lions - Aqib Talib CB Kansas

Heres a team that is currently 31st in pass defense, starting guys at cornerback that might not even make most NFL teams. Talib has shut down some very good receivers this year and has proved to be a cornerback who can both tackle and cover. Don't ever rule out the possibility of drafting a wide receiver either.

21 Dallas Cowboys (f/CLE) - Jon Stewart RB Oregon

I have a feeling that Julius Jones is on the outs in Dallas. Barber continues to out perform him week after week. It wouldn't surprise me to see them part ways with him potentially through a trade. Enter Jon Stewart. A Stewart and Barber combination would scare me for years to come.

22 Tennessee Titans - Adarius Bowman WR Okl State

Can we really blame Vince Young for his poor passing performance this year? I think that even Manning would have trouble passing to the receivers in Tennessee. The Titans have tried over the years to bring in some receivers but they all have turned out busts and if you don't improve that receiving corp than Young will never get any better.

23 San Diego Chargers - Keith Rivers OLB USC

Rivers has great speed and athleticism that fits well in the Chargers defense. The Chargers have two great linebackers on the outside with Phillips and Merriman but they lack that inside presence. Rivers isn't prototypical size but he has the frame to add another 10-15 pounds at the next level.

24 Seattle Seahawks - Jeff Otah OT Pitt

It wouldn't surprise anyone if the Seahawks drafted a running back this year. Shaun Alexander lost his job this year to Maurice Morris! But the value unfortunately is not there. There are a lot of 2nd and 3rd round running backs this year so it would be better for the Seahawks to try and improve their offensive line first and snag a running back later.

25 Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Sam Baker OT USC

The Bucs have some solid youth on the inside of the line but they still lack a true left tackle. Baker has had some injury concerns which has caused him to drop slightly but he is still a solid first round pick. The Bucs could also look cornerback with Barber getting up there in age or even wide receiver.

26 NY Giants - Reggie Smith DB Oklahoma

Aaron Ross has already proved to be a solid pickup for the Giants but they still have some holes in the secondary. Smith is a guy that can play cb or safety depending on the team that drafts him but he is better suited to play safety and if the Giants lose Wilson to FA then they will have even more problems then they currently do. Even if they keep Wilson, Smith is a nice upgrade over Butler.

27 Jacksonville Jaguars - James Hardy WR Indiana

It looks like Gerrard was the right solution at QB but the Jags are still a mess at WR. Theres nothing I would love more than for Hardy to slide to the Redskins in the second round but he is looking more and more like a first round projection and potentially even a steal this late.

28 Pittsburgh Steelers - Gosder Cherilus OT Boston College

Faneca is going to get a HUGE pay day this offseason and likely it wont be with the Steelers. It wouldn't surprise me if the Steelers moved one of their current tackles inside and look for a young franchise guy to groom at the tackle spot.

29 Green Bay Packers - Brandon Flowers CB Va Tech

The Pack have two great starters at CB in Harris and Woodson but they have 0 depth behind that. Flowers has been rising up boards and its hard to argue that he isn't one of the top cornerbacks in this draft.

30 San Francisco 49ers (f/IND) - Early Doucett WR LSU

The Niners are one of the worst teams in the NFL and they have one of the last picks in the first round. Nice job front office...Theres a lot of holes on this team including wide receiver. They had high hopes of DJax but that hasn't exactly worked too well for them.

31 Dallas Cowboys - Mike Jenkins CB South Florida

Another team with some solid starters at cornerback but a lack of depth. This is a good situation for a guy like Jenkins to come in and be groomed for the future.

[KDawg]

I don't think Miami takes Dorsey first. I think they trade the pick, honestly. That said, it's probably too early to say anything about a mock draft, but I appreciate your excitement, man. Nice job overall with it too!

[OWUeagleMD]

I think Bellichek is having wet dreams at the thought of drafting Chris Long. They could line that guy up anywhere, including MLB (Bruschi was a DE in college). If they stay put, I really expect them to take Long.

The Eagles don't take receivers in the first often, but they take LBs even less (never).

[argentina_redskins]

I love Gholston. He is exactly what we need. A LDE who can apply pressure on the QB while stopping the run. Plus we wouldn't have to throw him in the mix right in, just make him split time w/ Daniels which could be good for his development!

[BigDaddy65]

Never too early to read any mock. Keep up the good job.

[RabidFan]

2 DL's named Golston with one having a silent "h"?? that would be nuts for announcers.

[BigDaddy65]

2 DL's named Golston with one having a silent "h"?? that would be nuts for announcers.

Plus 2 high rated Long.....:laugh::laugh::laugh: ESPN "experts" will face a lot of trouble!

[DCranon21]

I love Gholston. He is exactly what we need. A LDE who can apply pressure on the QB while stopping the run. Plus we wouldn't have to throw him in the mix right in, just make him split time w/ Daniels which could be good for his development!

I like him too, but I think he's a sophomore.

[Dance04]

I'd be surprised if the Dolphins don't select a QB. Is John Beck the answer? Anything is possible, but I doubt it.

Awesome job tho. Spot on for us taking a DE

[OWUeagleMD]

I'd be surprised if the Dolphins don't select a QB. Is John Beck the answer? Anything is possible, but I doubt it.

Awesome job tho. Spot on for us taking a DE

I guess they didn't anticipate being the worst team in football, and thus having the option of the best QB avail, but they took Beck in the second round just one year ago.

[SnyderMustGo]

Yeah, I wouldn't be surprised to see the Pats take Chris Long.

He perfectly fits into their player profile of blue collar, hard worker, team player, high character player that can play multiple positions.

I don't see them taking DMAC.

And I should add: most would probably say #2 is too high for Chris Long with DMAC still on the board... but the Pats have shown over and over again that they don't give a crap about where the player is slotted. They take who they want without regard to draft position.

[SkinzFan007]

I like him too, but I think he's a sophomore.

nope.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/roster?teamId=194

[[[ghost]]]

While it makes sense for us to take a DE, i don't see us doing it. We just never do. Its not in us to do so.

We're likely going to take a Safety. If not, I'd like us to use a first rounder on offense for once.

[Westbrook36]

:doh: :doh:

[jrockster21]

:doh: :doh:

Since you're a self-proclaimed draftnik, why don't you actually critique his work instead of just posting a couple :doh: smilys?

[SkinzFan007]

Since you're a self-proclaimed draftnik, why don't you actually critique his work instead of just posting a couple :doh: smilys?

maybe he thinks the eagles have good linebackers....

[Westbrook36]

Actually, someone on a different board wanted the :doh: smiley so I had to post it to link it.

True story.

[Dance04]

I guess they didn't anticipate being the worst team in football, and thus having the option of the best QB avail, but they took Beck in the second round just one year ago.

I'd still take brohm over beck. he cant do any worse at this point

[deejaydana]

Forgive me up front because I'm just not all that well versed on college talent but is Chris Long legitimately a top 5 pick? I'm not in any way questioning his inclusion here I just don't know anything about the guy other than he's Howie's kid. Any feedback much appreciated...

[Kevin101]

Gholston was a monster in the Michigan game, the announcers kept raving about him as a guaranteed pro bowler in the NFL. not too shabby

[DWinzit]

I think Bellichek is having wet dreams at the thought of drafting Chris Long. They could line that guy up anywhere, including MLB (Bruschi was a DE in college). If they stay put, I really expect them to take Long.

I agree. If they don't take him they trade down to accumulate picks and grab one of the big time LBers.

The Eagles don't take receivers in the first often, but they take LBs even less (never).

Do you think they stick with the big uglies?

[OWUeagleMD]

I'd still take brohm over beck. he cant do any worse at this point

The choice isn't brohm or beck. they already have Beck. So, the choice is between both Brohm and Beck or both Beck and another player. If they think Beck is a good player, which they must have thought as recently as 9 months ago, and which they must have continued to believe as recently as 4 weeks ago, since they made him their starter, than they should definitely look to another position. To have real success in the draft you need to trust your thought process in previous years and be patient with the development process, unless of course you've been given irrefutable evidence that you previously made a mistake.

[OWUeagleMD]

Do you think they stick with the big uglies?

Well, Spikes is a free agent after this year. It looks like they'll need to replace that position, unless they decide he's played well enough for a new contract. Even so, he's long in the tooth and they just cut his young backup (McCoy).

I think they'll draft a LB, maybe two or three, but if history is any indicator they won't do it in the first round.

Gocong and Gaither have played pretty good football recently. Neither of them has been anything great by any means, but I'm willing to bet that Reid and Johnson feel vindicated about making them starters. Gocong especially, considering this is the first year he's played LB in his life.

[DWinzit]

This might sound a crazy but if this was the draft order I could see the Jets attempting to trade with Miami so they can grab Chris Long. This would not only fill a big need, it would keep him from the Pat's.

I wouldn't be shocked if the Giants go OT.

Dallas isn't drafting a OLB?

I would love to see a DL drafted high by Washington!

[DWinzit]

Well, Spikes is a free agent after this year. It looks like they'll need to replace that position, unless they decide he's played well enough for a new contract. Even so, he's long in the tooth and they just cut his young backup (McCoy).

I think they'll draft a LB, maybe two or three, but if history is any indicator they won't do it in the first round.

Gocong and Gaither have played pretty good football recently. Neither of them has been anything great by any means, but I'm willing to bet that Reid and Johnson feel vindicated about making them starters. Gocong especially, considering this is the first year he's played LB in his life.

I didn't realize Spikes was done, I thought he had another year. He hasn't been spectacular but seems to be coming on.

Gaither has played pretty well. I must admit I didn't think Gocong had game but he also has been playing okay.