"Audibles at the Draft?" In a manner of speaking, yes. For FO's first mock, we wanted to adopt the roundtable style that makes Audibles enjoyable. To that end, six staffers were recruited -- Doug Farrar, Mike Tanier, Bill Barnwell, Sean McCormick, Ben Riley and Patrick Laverty -- and the round robin began. The first mock is standard format with commentary, though we may be looking to shake things up with different mocks in the future. We went two rounds this time, no trades. We generally went more for Team Needs than Best Player Available, though there were exceptions.
(Note: We lost Dr. Tanier halfway through the second round to more pressing matters. As a result, Doug and Sean doubled up on picks once each to keep things moving along.)
1-1-1 Miami Dolphins -- Chris Long, DE, Virginia
The Dolphins recently sent emissaries to Long's Pro Day at Virginia, where he did nothing but linebacker drills for 15 minutes. Long was down to 267 pounds, five pounds lighter than his Combine weight. He played end in Al Groh's 3-4 system at Virginia, and Groh and Dolphins czar Bill Parcells go way back. Parcells has a great history with hybrid edge-rushers, and Long is the best this year. There are no questions whatsoever as to Long's work ethic or intensity (the Dolphins' new boss loves relentless players), and though either Long would greatly benefit Miami's rebuild, it'll be Chris over Jake as Parcells constructs the defensive side first. Bonus: He may show up in a few pickup truck commercials with dad Howie, but this is not a guy who's interested in Dancing with the Stars.
-- Doug Farrar
1-2-2 St. Louis Rams -- Glenn Dorsey, DT, LSU
I had Jake Long in this position initially, then I broke out in those hives I get whenever I think about drafting one of those hulking in-line Big-10 run blockers in the first round. I had an image of Marc Bulger getting flattened because Long just wasn't quick enough to beat a speed rusher (Alex Barron was flagged for a false start in the image, so the play didn't even count). Dorsey's health is a question, but the health of a 320-pound man will always be in question. I see Dorsey at the 3-technique on rushing downs, then moving over center on passing downs while Adam Carriker moves inside. That's a deadly interior rush that should make Matt Hasselbeck shudder and keep Mike Martz from instituting many 60-pass game plans.
-- Mike Tanier
1-3-3 Atlanta Falcons -- Jake Long, OT, Michigan
One of Dave Lewin's tenets in the Lewin Career Forecast is how games started become an indicator because of the effect more intensive scouting and available film has on a player's stock. Each year, we see guys like Quentin Moses, Matt Leinart, or Brian Brohm morph from a preseason top-five lock to a post-college question mark. Unlike those guys and many others, Long was a projected top-five pick before the season, and his stock is just as high now. That indicates consistent, effective performance to me. And as for those hulking Big-Ten offensive linemen, Long's 6-foot-7, 317 pounds. Joe Thomas is 6-6, 316, and he sure turned out alright. Thomas has a rep of having better footwork than Long, which I can't speak to one way or another, but Long's 20-yard shuttle (4.73 to Thomas' 4.88) and his three-cone (7.44 to Thomas' 7.95) were superior, which means if he isn't as deft on his feet as Thomas, he sure ain't no slouch.
-- Bill Barnwell
1-4-4 Oakland Raiders -- Sedrick Ellis, DT, USC
If Darren McFadden and Vernon Gholston are both on the board, Al Davis' head might explode as he's forced to choose between them. But we've locked Al in the closet for the weekend, which allows us to ignore the 40 times and the bench presses and go with the player who is the best fit, and that's Ellis. The USC product followed up an excellent senior season by absolutely dominating at the Senior Bowl, and we put more stock in that than in his disappointing combine numbers. The Raiders were the worst run-stopping unit in football last year, and all they've really done to address it is re-sign Tommy Kelly and trade for a corner who wouldn't come up to play the run if his life depended on it. Ellis is a good fit, and he has a higher floor than some of the other top prospects, which is an important consideration when you're picking in the top five in consecutive years.
-- Sean McCormick
1-5-5 Kansas City Chiefs -- Ryan Clady, OT, Boise State
From Herm Edwards' post-draft press conference:
"We play the game of football. We play to win the game of football. And to win the game of football, you need to run the football. You also need to pass the football.
"You need to both run and pass the football.
"And score.
"And to do that, you need to block for the guys who run and pass the football. It's no secret that we lost 12 games last year. We ranked dead last in rushing yards per game -- 78 yards. That's not good. That's not good. But you need to get over it. It's called life.
"So, we drafted a guy who we think will help us be in a position to run and throw the football a little bit better. Some people are going to say we reached. OK, we reached. If getting a 6-6, 310-pound pure left tackle is a reach, then we reached. Were there some other guys we liked? We liked a lot of guys. It's easy to like guys. We liked Jeff Otah. He's a guy. Will he be as good as our guy? Uh, HELLO? We took our guy because he's our guy. And we like him, and he's going to help us where we need to be helped.
"That's what football is."
-- Ben Riley
1-6-6 New York Jets -- Darren McFadden, RB, Arkansas
J-E-T-S, JETS, JETS, JETS select with the sixth pick in the draft ... sorry, hold on, Jerry Jones is on the phone ... "Hi, Jerry. Be right with you, Commissioner Goodell..."
OK, sorry, Jerry was only offering a first and a third, so we're going to take his man anyway. The Jets select with the sixth pick from the University or Arkansas, running back Darren McFadden. While it would be easy to go in any number of directions on defense, with the Jets players looking like tourists in Times Square at any given moment, this could be a once-in-a-decade opportunity to get a gamebreaker. People raved about Adrian Peterson's size as a back this year and McFadden is also a speedy 6-2, 205-pound home run threat on every touch. The Jets just revamped their offensive line with Alan Faneca and Damian Woody to go along with young stars Erik Mangold and D'Brickashaw Ferguson, and now they can get the running back that they were hoping Thomas Jones to be.
-- Patrick Laverty
1-7-7 New England Patriots from San Francisco 49ers -- Vernon Gholston, DE, Ohio State
The Patriots fielded two defenses in 2007: the one with linebacker Rosevelt Colvin, and the one without. The Colvin version stomped every opponent into submission, while the version without Colvin, lost for the season in a close contest against the Eagles, was all too vulnerable down the stretch. With the 30-year-old linebacker ostensibly out of the picture, and several questions raised about New England's linebacker corps going forward, Bill Belichick and friends will be grinning from ear to ear as they send the seventh card up to the podium with Gholston's name on it.
The freakishly athletic "endbacker" from Ohio State may not be the finished product that Chris Long is, but could prove to be the better player in the long run. All he needs is time for his experience to match his physical ability. The few questions about Gholston's game –- most notably how he squares up against the run -– can be answered and corrected over time. This is a lead-pipe lock for a team whose mid-zone defense was open for business in the postseason.
-- Doug Farrar
1-8-8 Baltimore Ravens -- Matt Ryan, QB, Boston College
John Harbaugh + Cam Cameron + Matt Ryan = A clean break from the Brian Billick era. Alleluia. Billick was running out of people to blame. Ryan's a great build-around prospect, the kind of guy who can be the face of the organization as Harbaugh and Ozzie Newsome sweep away the last remains of the Super Bowl team. Really, how long has it been since we got excited about a young offensive star in Baltimore (no one really got excited about Kyle Boller, did they?). Get your season tickets now, Ravens fans: New offense, new quarterback, new optimism.
-- Mike Tanier
1-9-9 Cincinnati Bengals -- Philip Merling, DE, Clemson
This would be an ugly scenario for the Bengals to be in; the top two guys on the board are corners, and the Bengals have spent consecutive first-round picks on defensive backs. That lets them go in one of two directions. They could draft Malcolm Kelly, who would be their Chad Johnson replacement. That move would also, though, eliminate a good portion of the leverage the Bengals have in being able to deal Johnson -- since everyone, their mom, and Matt Millen would know that the Bengals had to deal him.
Alternately, they could choose to address issues in their front seven, and Merling's a better fit for them than Keith Rivers. The Clemson junior is a workhorse defensive end who basically slots in as Justin Smith's replacement. Smith was never a great pass-rusher, and Merling might not be either, but he's going to be stout against the run and is versatile enough to play any spot on the line in the 4-3 and still play end in a 3-4. With a team that could very well be undergoing a schematic change this time next year if things don't go well, that could come in handy.
-- Bill Barnwell
1-10-10 New Orleans Saints -- Keith Rivers, LB, USC
"And with the tenth pick, the New Orleans Saints select cornerback -- whaaat? How could you not take a cornerback?!?!" Look, we all know that the Saints have a wee problem covering receivers, and that they need to add at least one corner if not two. But it doesn't automatically follow that they need to use the tenth pick overall on one. This is a deep corner class, but there isn't much separating the top corner from the fourth or fifth corner in terms of ability. In fact, no one seems certain who the top corner is. Is it Leodis McKelvin? He's a good prospect, but he's on the small side, and hands of stone aren't generally seen as a desirable quality for a corner. Is it Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie? He was terrific at the Senior Bowl and his athletic numbers are off the chart, but he was a mediocre player at Tennessee State and it's hard to believe that he'd be flying up the boards if "Cromartie" didn't figure prominently in his name. So New Orleans decides to wait until the second round for their corner and fills another need with Rivers, who is the only franchise weakside linebacker in the draft.
-- Sean McCormick
1-11-11 Buffalo Bills -- Kentwan Balmer, DT, North Carolina
"And with the eleventh pick, the Buffalo Bills select wide receiver -- whaaat? How could you not take a wide receiver?!?" The Bills are in a very similar spot to the Saints: They need help at wide receiver (and cornerback, for that matter), but there just isn't all that much daylight between Limas Sweed, Malcom Kelly, DeSean Jackson, and Mario Manningham. It's even possible that Early Doucet will be there for them in the second round, so why would the Bills want to play Ted Ginn Roulette in the first? Hence, if the Bills are smart, they'll take a page from the "best available" playbook and select Balmer instead. He's a versatile guy who can played both tackle and end, much like Clemson's Philip Merling, and dominant defensive tackles are in short supply in the NFL.
-- Ben Riley
1-12-12 Denver Broncos -- Chris Williams, LT, Vanderbilt
Vertical leap, 40 times, shuttle run, bench press. All those things and more are measured at the combine. And that's all great. But those skills aren't the most important to a Denver offensive lineman. Intelligence? Yeah, he went to Vanderbilt, so we know he's not your typical player from "The U" or any other school that needs to abbreviate to just one letter so the players don't forget where they played in college. Size? Yeah, Williams has that. He's already 6-6 and 315 pounds, and he's a growing boy. A need? Yes, with the retirement of Matt Lepsis, there is an opening. But what is the most important thing to a Denver offensive linemen? There is a secret drill linemen go through at the combine,
and clearly Williams was the best of the bunch. Yes, the leg whip. Congratulations, Mr. Williams.
-- Patrick Laverty
1-13-13 Carolina Panthers -- Branden Albert, OG/OT, Virginia
The Panthers took a serious look at Pitt's Jeff Otah here, but Otah's more of a road grader and Carolina needs agility on the left side with Mike Wahle departing for Seattle and Travelle Wharton possibly moving inside to guard. Albert is by far the best guard prospect in this draft -- so athletic, he's seen by some as a future left tackle. It's because of this versatility, and how it can benefit a line in flux, that the underclassman will be the right choice for the Panthers. He'll learn the NFL from the inside to start and keep the line solid as the one constant while an anemic offense rebuilds around him.
-- Doug Farrar
1-14-14 Chicago Bears -- Kenny Phillips, S, Miami
If I really controlled the Bears, I would have sent Rex Grossman and Kyle Orton to a nice island somewhere, retained Brian Griese, traded down a few slots here, and taken Joe Flacco or Brian Brohm. But the Bears have decided to give Grossman one last look and are keeping Orton around for some reason. I don't want to add a first-round pick to the mix. That would make three youngish quarterbacks clamoring for reps with the first team, which is rarely a good situation, especially when you factor in the weaponless state of the offense.
So with several good tackles off the board and no receiver in this draft who can help right away, we're going to improve the secondary. Mike Brown is always hurt and may be finished and Brandon McGowan is a stopgap. Phillips can play strong safety with Danieal Manning at free safety, though Philips looks more like a deep player in the long run. With Nathan Vasher and Charles Tillman at the corners and guys like Aaron Rodgers and Tarvaris Jackson playing quarterback in the division, the Bears could lead the league in interceptions.
-- Mike Tanier
1-15-15 Detroit Lions -- Leodis McKelvin, CB, Troy
My conversation with Matt Millen:
B: "Wow Matt, this is a dream scenario for us. We had one of the worst secondaries in football last year and the top two cornerbacks are still on the board!"
M: [playing with G.I. Joe's] "No, Rusty. _I'm_ the manliest man in our squadron!"
B: "Um, Matt, it's our turn to pick."
M: "What?" [glances back at G.I. Joes and makes squashing noises]
B: "Matt, it's our turn to pick in the NFL Draft."
M: "Oh! OK! We pick Darren McFadden." [points to picture of Darren McFadden on the cover of The Sporting News] "Our scouts said he's the best player out there." [goes back to G.I. Joes] "Just like our scouts saw Charlie hanging out in the ditches over by the popcorn machine!"
B: [grabs Matt's arm and sits him back down] "Matt, we can't pick Darren McFadden. We won too many games to be able to pick whoever we want. He's already been selected by the Jets."
M: "We'll send fighter je-"
B: [looks at Matt sternly]
M: "...OK. Let's trade Roy Williams for Darren McDonald's."
B: "Matt, it's McFadden, and we can't trade Roy Williams for McFadden. He's our best player and, besides, the Jets don't want to deal McFadden."
M: [is across the room shoving G.I. Joe's into the microwave, screaming] "Go! Go! Go Rusty, go!"
B: "NOT AGAIN MATT!" [unplugs microwave] "Last time you did that, this place smelled like rubber for weeks."
M: [obliviously shoves army men into microwave and hits "go" button and jumps around gleefully yelling] "CHAR-LIE! CHAR-LIE!"
B: [checks clock - three minutes]
M: "Can we take Darren Whopper now?"
B: [sighs] "Oh, you want a whopper?!"
M: "Whopper with royale!"
B: "We shouldn't have shown you Pulp Fiction. You were too young."
M: "Mother****** mother****** Jesus!"
B: "OK Matt. How about this. I do a little business here and then we'll go to Burger Ki-"
M: "NO McFADDEN'S! McFADDEN'S McFADDEN'S McFADDEN'S!"
B: [can't believe he's going to have to go to McDonald's, take burgers out of their wrappers, go to Burger King, take burgers out of their wrappers, and stick the Burger King burgers in the McDonald's wrappers again] "OK, fine. McFadden's it is. You just keep sticking G.I. Joes in the microwave."
M: "They're the Two Hundred and Seventy-Fourteenth Fighter Squadron!"
B: "OK, Matt. Gimme a second here."
I'll take McKelvin because his name sounds like McDonald's, and that will make Matt happy. Also, although the Lions signed Brian Kelly and traded for Leigh Bodden, Kelly's 32 and Bodden has alternately been healthy and mediocre the last two years.
-- Bill Barnwell
1-16-16 Arizona Cardinals -- Rashard Mendenhall, RB, Illinois
Derrick Harvey was a serious consideration as a replacement for Calvin Pace in Arizona's new 3-4 scheme, but he's ultimately not the same caliber of prospect as Mendenhall. The Illinois star averaged 6.2 yards per carry this season, and he proved himself to be a weapon in the passing game as well. Mendenhall didn't get a lot of carries his first two seasons, so he should have a lot of tread on his tires. We know that offensive production carries over from year to year more than defensive production, and the Cardinals have a lot of the pieces in place to experience some sustained success. They spent a lot of money unwisely on Edgerrin James, but they can make up for it by adding a stud young back.
-- Sean McCormick
1-17-17 Minnesota Vikings -- Brian "I'm finally out of the closet!" Brohm, QB, Louisville
Poor Bernard Berrian. First Rex Grossman, now Tarvaris Jackson. He must be wondering if it's his destiny to play with young, mediocre-to-awful quarterbacks who really should be benched but for the inexplicable refusal of the Bears' and Vikings' respective coaching staffs to give up on their failed projects. Well Bernard, I've got good news for you: I'm running the mock Minnesota franchise right now, and I say Tarvaris Jackson is barely worthy of being a backup in the NFL. And like the Lewin Career Forecast, I'm eyeing Brohm's career completion rate of 66 percent like a juicy steak. So we'll take Brohm, hope that he brings Brady Quinn's girlfriend with him to provide "comfort" during the draft-day free fall, and worry about who's going to play defensive end about, oh, 31 picks from now."
-- Ben Riley
1-18-18 Houston Texans -- Felix Jones, RB, Arkansas
(Sit down, Mr. Millen, we know McFadden has already been taken. Go finish your Happy Meal.)
In 2006, there was an uproar in Houston when General Manager Charley Casserly did not select Reggie Bush with the first overall pick. Now the Texans have their Reggie Bush. Jones, who is also a junior, shared the backfield with McFadden and rushed for more than 1,100 yards in both 2006 and 2007. Training camp competition will not be a foreign concept to Jones as he handled his position just outside the spotlight flawlessly.
There may have been even further uproar if the team had to go another year with Ron "not so great anymore" Dayne as their featured back.
Jones will also be able to provide an extra spark with his ability to return kickoffs, as he took it to the house four times in college, including two 100-yard returns. He has that ability to stop and change directions on a dime, leaving defenders with a handful of air.
Many were upset at the time with the non-Bush pick, but with Jones and Williams, the combined gain may be great enough to cause the Texans to be drafting even later next year.
-- Patrick Laverty
1-19-19 Philadelphia Eagles -- Dan Connor, MLB, Penn State
The Bednarik Award is coming home. The Iggles need a new man in the middle, and they won't have to go far to find their next defensive cornerstone along with Asante Samuel -- all they'll need to do is to head over to Linebacker U. Connor, like his Nittany Lions predecessor Paul Posluszny, is a versatile and relentless defender with surprising speed and agility. He ran a 4.67 40 at his Pro Day, and some teams have talked to him about playing outside (which he has done), but he's engineered to run a defense from the middle. That's what he'll do for Jim Johnson's blitz-happy crew.
-- Doug Farrar
1-20-20 Tampa Bay Buccaneers -- Early Doucet, WR, LSU
What, an offensive skill position player under 32? Perish the thought. It takes 12 years for a receiver to master Jon Gruden's system, but the Bucs can't wait around for Maurice Stovall to go gray and replace Joey Galloway, Ike Hilliard, and Kevin House at receiver. I really think Malcolm Kelly would be a better fit in the offense because he's a big possession receiver who loves to block, but do we really want to see another Michael Clayton situation? Heck no. Doucet's an all-purpose receiver who can grow into a No. 1 if he can download Gruden's playbook straight into his brain.
-- Mike Tanier
1-21-21 Washington Redskins -- Malcolm Kelly, WR, Oklahoma
Washington hasn't used a draft pick on a wideout since Taylor Jacobs in 2003, and the Brandon Lloyd experiment has now officially failed (shock!). The talk of mock drafts has them leaning towards defensive end, but they're somewhat underrated as far as depth along the defensive line goes. At wideout, Santana Moss had an incredibly disappointing year, and although Antwaan Randle El played well, he's a No. 3 wideout stretched as a No. 2. Kelly has the ideal size you look for in a wideout, he's a very good blocker (a huge part of the Redskins system, at least under Al Saunders), and he functions perfectly as a possession receiver that opens up space for the deeper threats of Randle El and Moss. Jason Campbell, welcome your new best friend.
-- Bill Barnwell
1-22-22 Dallas Cowboys from Cleveland Browns -- Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, CB, Tennessee State
With a roster stocked with quality players at nearly every position, Dallas can let the draft come to them. San Diego was in much the same position two years ago when they took a flier on Antonio Cromartie and that pick paid off in spades, as Cromartie is the most dominant young corner in the league. Rodgers-Cromartie doesn't have the Florida State pedigree, but he has the same combination of size, speed and athleticism. He was a man among boys at the Senior Bowl, and he followed that up with a stellar combine that cemented him as a first-round prospect and arguably the best cornerback in the draft. Rodgers-Cromartie won't be ready to start right away, but with Terrence Newman and Anthony Henry on board, the Cowboys don't need him to. This is a bit of a boom-or-bust pick, but it's one Dallas can afford to make with another first rounder in their pocket.
-- Sean McCormick
1-23-23 Pittsburgh Steelers -- Jonathan Stewart, RB, Oregon
With the loss of Alan Faneca, the real-life Steelers are praying for Branden Albert to be available in the first round. But here in FOmockdraftistan, Doug Farrar was all over Albert like white on rice, so the mock Steelers draft for value here by taking Jonathan Stewart, who is a steal this late in the first round. Stewart is an elite talent who might turn out to be the best running back in this year's class. He can move the pile, and he'll help prevent Mike "Omar Epps" Tomlin from making Willie Parker the next victim of the Curse of 370.
-- Ben Riley
1-24-24 Tennessee Titans -- Limas Sweed, WR, Texas
Maybe this is the "Peaches and Herb" draft for me as we can sing "Reunited" here again. New offensive coordinator Mike Heimerdinger wants a big wide receiver for his offense and that's what he gets in reuniting Sweed with college teammate Vince Young. Sweed is a big receiver at 6-5, 215, who can give most NFL corners a match-up problem. Just two issues with picking him this early though: He doesn't have blistering speed as he ran a 4.46 at the combine, and probably even more concerning is that he only played six games in 2007 because of a wrist injury that required season-ending surgery and was still giving him problems at the Senior Bowl. If everything checks out medically, Sweed could be a great fit for the Titans.
-- Patrick Laverty
1-25-25 Seattle Seahawks -- Derrick Harvey, DE, Florida
The Seahawks took a hard look at USF cornerback Mike Jenkins, and there's little doubt that Cal's DeSean Jackson and Michigan State's Devin Thomas would be on the board of a team whose receiver depth has taken some serious hits in the last year. But having re-signed Marcus Trufant, with great faith in a trio of young receivers and with all the truly elite tackle prospects off the board, Seattle sticks to its BPA modus operandi and takes the dominant Gators defensive end.
This may piss off every draft observer in the Emerald City from a positional standpoint, but it's a better pick than many may realize. First of all, you take a player this good when he falls this far and there are no red flags. Second, there isn't a lot of defensive end depth behind Patrick Kerney and Darryl Tapp, and Kerney will be 32 on December 30. Talk to the SEC's left tackles and they'll tell you what the 6-5, 271-pound Harvey can do to an opposing offense. His eight sacks and 17 tackles for loss in his senior season alone show that while he's a versatile player, Harvey does most of his damage behind the opponent's line of scrimmage. Seattle's defense is predicated on a consistent pass rush above all else. The best way to accomplish that is to avoid overtaxing the elite players you already have, and to set your personnel to bring an overwhelming show of force when necessary. Just ask the New York Giants.
-- Doug Farrar
1-26-26 Jacksonville Jaguars -- Mike Jenkins, CB, South Florida
The Jaguars' biggest need is probably at defensive end or wide receiver, but while there are some very good ends on the board, none seems like a perfect fit in Jacksonville. I don't want to saddle this team with another first-round developmental wideout; let them sift through the free agents they picked up instead. No, the Jags need to be able to beat the Patriots and Colts in the playoffs, and that means they need to be able to cover all of those receivers (or rush the passer, but this works too). Jenkins may be the best corner in the draft. As an added bonus, he is well built and has a good rep as a run support corner, so he'll do a good job against all those Joseph Addai draw plays and against the Titans and Texans' ball control tactics. Thanks for leaving him on the board! Sincerely, Jack Del Rio.
-- Mike Tanier
1-27-27 San Diego Chargers -- Curtis Lofton, ILB, Oklahoma
The Chargers would have loved to see Dan Connor or Kenny Phillips fall here, but with the Bolts set at the deeper positions in the draft (cornerback and defensive line) and with no halfback with a first-round grade left on the board, the Chargers would likely trade out of this pick. If forced to select at gunpoint, I think they take Lofton, whose strengths (stout run defense, versatility, huge motor) are a good fit for this defense while his weaknesses (not a pass rusher) aren't a big concern. I don't buy the Chargers drafting a tackle in the first round since A.J. Smith has built the offensive line around Marcus McNeill (a second-round pick) and multiple late-round selections.
-- Bill Barnwell
1-28-28 Dallas Cowboys -- Devin Thomas, WR, Michigan State
While Terrell Owens is still performing at a high level, he's no spring chicken anymore, and Dallas would do well by adding a potential No. 1 receiver to groom behind him. Thomas, at 6-2 and 225, compares favorably to Dwayne Bowe, who went right around this spot last year and turned in the top performance of any a rookie receiver. The risk is that Thomas only played one season of Division I-A ball and that he is an unpolished route runner, but he displayed terrific hands at Michigan State, as well as a rare ability to pick up yardage after the catch. Thomas is also an excellent return man, and he'll immediately upgrade Dallas' special teams. DeSean Jackson was also a consideration in this spot, but ultimately size won out.
-- Sean McCormick
1-29-29 San Francisco 49ers from Indianapolis Colts -- Sam Baker, OT, USC
What a crappy off-season the 49ers are having. They just lost a fifth-round draft pick for tampering with the contract of a guy they didn't even manage to sign (Lance Briggs), added a 36-year-old receiver who is supposedly going to be their No. 1 wideout (Isaac Bruce), and signed DPAR Public Enemy No. 1 to back up Frank Gore (DeShaun Foster). Yikes. They need help virtually everywhere, but with the loss of Justin Smiley and Larry Allen, the offensive line is the most immediate concern. Baker's a four-year starter who has won just about every accolade imaginable while playing against top-flight competition, so I'm at a bit of a loss to explain why the punditocracy has turned against him. Who cares about a tackle's "demeanor?" Walter Jones is a big pussycat and he seems to have turned out OK.
-- Ben Riley
1-30-30 Green Bay Packers -- Aqib Talib, CB, Kansas
Picking this late, it's hard to really get the franchise corner that the Packers need. Their current studs are bit long in the tooth. Talib is a high bang or bust pick. For his style of play, think Asante Samuel, someone who likes to jump routes and gamble on the big INT. He's got good size for a defensive back at 6-1, but shows just good not great speed. He's no Pacman Jones, but there are concerns about off-field activities.
-- Patrick Laverty
1-31 New England Forfeited
1-32-31 New York Giants -- DeSean Jackson, WR, Cal
There's an outstanding need at free safety, but the dropoff after Kenny Phillips means that Jerry Reese can go with a second-day pick there, and who better to do so? Jackson the speedburner is a smaller target than Eli Manning's used to, but we've seemingly passed the era in which the only completions possible for the Super Bowl MVP are dumpoffs to running backs and tight ends and jumpballs to Plaxico Burress. Sinorice Moss hasn't exactly set the world afire, while Burress and Amami Toomer present their own injury and age concerns, respectively. The (Carolina) Steve Smith comparisons are legitimate with Jackson -- he might be the only waterbug receiver out of this class with the toughness to survive the slot at the NFL level -– and the threat level from a speed perspective is undeniable. He'll bring a special element to New York's offense.
-- Doug Farrar
2-1-32 Miami Dolphins -- Joe Flacco, QB, Delaware
Representing the 8-5-6. And giving the Tuna a Bledsoe-like talent to build around.
-- Mike Tanier
2-2-33 St. Louis Rams -- Mario Manningham, WR, Michigan
Taking Glenn Dorsey with their first pick means that Calais Campbell would be a luxury here, and for a team with such significant needs, there is no such time for luxury. St. Louis has a need at wideout with Torry Holt aging, Isaac Bruce gone, and Drew Bennett having never-really-been, and while Manningham's stock has tumbled some this year, watching the guy play shows the sheer talent he has. He's an intelligent route-runner, has excellent hands, and by all accounts, plays faster than his 40 times. In addition, initial research we've done has suggested that wide receivers in rushing-heavy conferences like the Big Ten are underrated as compared to wideouts in pass-friendly conferences like the Pac-10.
-- Bill Barnwell
2-3-34 Atlanta Falcons from Oakland Raiders -- Quentin Groves, DE, Auburn
With three second-round picks and no other teams likely to reach for Chad Henne at this point, the Falcons are willing to take their time before addressing their need at quarterback. Instead, they go with the best pass rusher on the board in Groves. Atlanta was 26th against the pass last year, and John Abraham is too injury-prone to be relied on. Groves can play outside linebacker and can rush from a down position in passing situations.
-- Sean McCormick
2-4-35 Kansas City Chiefs -- Patrick Lee, CB, Auburn
Herm: "You draft to fill your needs. HELLO! You DRAFT to FILL your NEEDS! So we took a kid who we think will help fill one of our needs. He's fast and he's big and we like him, so that's why we picked him. People on the Internet might criticize the pick. That's fine. I don't own the Internet. My job is to be a football coach. I coach the game of football."
-- Ben Riley
2-5-36 New York Jets -- Cliff Avril, LB, Purdue
The Jets need help on defense and Avril is very athletic, loves being around the ball, has good size at 6-3, 250. Avril can also rush the passer from the outside. Great fit for Mangini's 3-4 defense.
-- Patrick Laverty
2-6-37 Atlanta Falcons -- Antoine Cason, CB, Arizona
The need is obvious after the DeAngelo Hall trade, and in more ways than one. Cason will be, as Ocho Cinco would say, "a fresh of breath air" after Hall's diva act rubbed just about everyone the wrong way. Cason doesn't have Hall's raw talent, but he does have great potential and he fits the Falcons' new "Character first, because we can't afford anything else at this point!" motto to a T.
-- Doug Farrar
2-7-38 Baltimore Ravens -- Brandon Flowers, CB, Virginia Tech
Good tackler, good interceptor, fills a need. Wish I could keep revamping the Ravens offense but I don't like what's on the board right now, so let the cornerback run continue.
-- Mike Tanier
2-8-39 San Francisco 49ers -- Oniel Cousins, OG, UTEP
Cousins is a tackle with brilliant raw skills, but needs more polish to start in the NFL at tackle. Put him on the interior, let him refine his technique, and then bring him outside when you get rid of Jonas Jennings.
-- Bill Barnwell
2-9-40 New Orleans Saints -- Reggie Smith, CB, Oklahoma
The hope was for Brandon Flowers or Antoine Cason to fall here, but it didn't work out that way. Still, several quality cornerback options are left on the board, and Smith is one of them. With his size and physicality, he resembles a young Mike McKenzie, which is good, because the current version is still recovering from a torn ACL and may be finished as a starting-caliber corner.
-- Sean McCormick
2-10-41 Buffalo Bills -- John Carlson, TE, Notre Dame
Many denizens of the mock draft punditocracy have USC's Fred Davis or Purdue's Dustin Keller ranked higher, but Carlson is a better pass-catching tight end than either of them, and the Bills desperately need some weapons on offense. A high-character guy who will be easy to market to Buffalo's new Canadian fanbase.
-- Ben Riley
2-11-42 Denver Broncos -- Calais Campbell, DE, Miami
Local kid comes home. Denver native Campbell could be a steal at this position. Size is not a problem at 6-7 and almost 300 pounds. Speed is not stunning, but the upside is his 2006 season, as he looked like an early first-round pick, but then disappointed in '07.
-- Patrick Laverty
2-12-43 Carolina Panthers -- Trevor Laws, DT, Notre Dame
Laws won't replace the departed Kris Jenkins from a size perspective -- he'd have to resemble a midrise apartment building to pull that off. But he's the gap-shooting weapon needed for this formerly great defensive line to get back on its collective feet.
-- Doug Farrar
2-13-44 Chicago Bears -- Jeff Otah, OT, Pitt
Great value at this point and fills a need in Chicago. Otah is probably a right tackle in the pros, but the Bears have needs on both sides.
-- Mike Tanier (at this point, Mr. Tanier departs)
2-14-45 Detroit Lions -- Pat Sims, DT, Auburn
Matt's busy eating his hamburger. The Lions lost Damien Woody and ditched Shaun Rogers, so an interior lineman would work. Sims is a better prospect than any of the guards available, so he's the pick here.
-- Bill Barnwell
2-15-46 Cincinnati Bengals -- Ray Rice, RB, Rutgers
One of the most underrated players in the draft. One of the things that keeps the Bengals offense from reaching the rarified Indianapolis air is the lack of a dual-threat back who can have a major impact in the passing game. Enter Rice, who looks and plays like a young Tiki Barber. He has some wear on his tires, but that is a second-contract consideration.
-- Sean McCormick
2-16-47 Minnesota Vikings -- Andre "Bubba" Caldwell, WR, Florida
We need to add some guys for Brohm to throw to, and Caldwell is a big receiver with great hands who isn't afraid to go over the middle, just the type of security blanket this team needs. Plus he's Reche Caldwell's brother and I want to see if the eyeball-bulge thing is genetic or what.
-- Ben Riley
2-17-48 Atlanta Falcons from Houston Texans -- Chad Henne, QB, Michigan
He passes the most important test for Arthur Blank. Henne's allergic to dogs. The 6-3 Wolverine could jump right in and start for the Falcons in '08
-- Patrick Laverty
2-18-49 Philadelphia Eagles -- Gosder Cherilus, OT, Boston College
Cherilus doesn't get the warm fuzzies that the first-round tackles get because his technique is still under development. He would, however, be an intriguing replacement for right tackle Jon Runyan down the road. Cherilus is a prototypical mauler who can do some real damage, especially on running plays. Where he'll struggle a bit early on is in consistency and discipline, especially from a penalty perspective.
-- Doug Farrar
2-19-50 Arizona Cardinals -- Tracy Porter, CB, Indiana
Speaking of penalties, Antrell Rolle's move to free safety leaves a void at the cornerback position. Porter needs some finishing work and he'll never blow anyone away as a tackler, but he's an incredibly quick cornerback who will outrun many of his mistakes until he figures it out.
-- Doug Farrar
2-20-51 Washington Redskins -- Carl Nicks, OT, Nebraska
It makes no sense for the Redskins to depend on Jon Jansen being healthy for an entire season when the guy simply can't do it. Relying on Jason Fabini and his ilk isn't smart, either, so Nicks comes in here as a potential long-term and/or injury replacement for Jansen and depth on the line in the meanwhile.
-- Bill Barnwell
2-21-52 Tampa Bay Buccaneers -- Jerod Mayo, LB, Tennessee
Strictly a case of BPA, as Mayo has risen to the point where he is arguably a late first-round pick. Tampa is always in the market for linebackers.
-- Sean McCormick
2-22-53 Pittsburgh Steelers -- Chilo Rachal, OG, USC
Rachal would benefit from another year in college, but he entered the draft early in part to help pay for his mother's stomach surgery. He still should be able to start right away and help Steelers fans forget about that one guy who plays for the Jets now.
-- Ben Riley
2-23-54 Tennessee Titans -- Marcus Harrison, DE, Arkansas
I must have something for Razorbacks as he's the third one I've chosen. The Titans have a need at both tackle and end, and Harrison can fit either role. Good size at 6-2 and 320 pounds, good speed for a big man as he's run sub-5 40s.
-- Patrick Laverty
2-24-55 Seattle Seahawks -- Martellus Bennett, TE, Texas A&M
Given their need at tight end, the Seahawks' representatives would have to be forgiven for tripping all over themselves in getting the card with Bennett's name on it up to the podium -- the paucity of tight ends selected earlier plays right into their hands. While Purdue's Dustin Keller and USC's Fred Davis intrigue for different reasons, Bennett's size, athleticism, blocking ability and basketball background make him the surest prospect in this class of tight ends.
-- Doug Farrar
2-25-56 Green Bay Packers from Cleveland Browns -- Dustin Keller, TE, Purdue
Keller represents a great fit for the Packers, who can use him as an H-back in their Full House formation or as a receiving tight end on passing downs.
-- Bill Barnwell
2-26-57 Miami Dolphins from San Diego Chargers-- Ahtyba Rubin, DT, Iowa State
Bill Parcells has already traded for his binky Jason Ferguson to man the nose, but the Dolphins will need a younger player to rotate in/take over when Ferguson suffers his inevitable injury. Rubin is no threat as a pass rusher, but he can tie up blockers and make tackles on inside runs, which is all the defense will ask him to do.
-- Sean McCormick
2-27-58 Jacksonville Jaguars -- James Hardy, WR, Indiana
Jacksonville takes a page from the Matt Millen playbook and keeps drafting receivers until they get it right. With Ernest Wilford gone and Matt Jones on his way out the door, Hardy can step in and provide another big target in the red zone.
-- Sean McCormick
2-28-59 Indianapolis -- Xavier Adibi, LB, Virginia Tech
Last year, the Colts traded their first-round pick to the 49ers in order to grab Tony Ugoh. The move obviously worked out well for them but now Indy feels the sting of having to make their first selection deep into the second round. The Colts have no glaring needs, but they could use some depth at linebacker, and Adibi is a good situational player, even if he is a bit undersized. Maybe he and Bob Sanders can share a locker or something.
-- Ben Riley
2-29-60 Green Bay -- Roy Schuening, OG, Oregon State
Looking to get the offensive line younger as players like Chad Clifton may be looking at the end of the road again. (As an aside, isn't it a bit ironic that Warren Sapp is retired before Chad Clifton?) Reports are that Schuening is big and mean, but not overly athletic at this point. You can get someone in better shape, you can't teach a mean streak.
-- Patrick Laverty
2-30-61 Dallas Cowboys -- Chris Jackson, RB, East Carolina
4.24 in the 40-yard dash at the Combine. Will he play that fast? Probably not, but he deserves credit for coming to the draft process prepared. As a player, he complements Marion Barber as a guy who can return kicks, catch the ball out of the backfield (he was a wide receiver off-and-on in college), and serve as a scatback. If he could become a better blocker, he'd be a real terror.
-- Bill Barnwell
2-31-62 New England -- Terrell Thomas, CB, USC
Thomas is less a burner on long routes and more a solid player who tackles very well, doesn't get out-thought and has shown toughness on the field. Could be a safety at the next level.
-- Doug Farrar
2-32-63 New York Giants -- DaJuan Morgan, S, NC State
The Giants like to stick to their board and take the best available player, and they've lucked out as one of the best guys on the board also happens to play safety, a position where the team has a huge, crater-sized hole now that Gibril Wilson is in Oakland. Morgan has the size and speed to fit at either safety spot.
-- Sean McCormick