StorminNorman
Avenger
- Joined
- Sep 26, 2005
- Messages
- 30,513
- Reaction score
- 2
- Points
- 33
The deadline for Seniors to announce came and went last Friday and the Senior Bowl was today and Mel Kiper Jr. has announced his first Mock Draft. It is official: the 2009 NFL Draft Season has begun.
To kick off the discussion I will give my own first Mock Draft (which is actually more credible than Mel Kiper Jr.'s) as well as my own top 5 QB, RB and WR (with other positions to be provided later.
1. Detroit Lions - Matt Stafford, QB Georgia
I believe Mathew Stafford is the best QB prospect since Peyton Manning and combining him with Calvin Johnson could be just what is needed to bring Detroit out of the basement. Under OC Scott Linehan's careful eye this could be Culpepper to Moss 2.0.
2. St. Louis Rams - Michael Oher, OT Ole Miss
Many have Andre Smith as their top OT prospect, I am not nearly as high. Michael Oher has dominated in Senior Bowl practices and his staff will go through the roof if he continues what he has done in Mobile the past week. The Rams need help in many places, like the Lions, but unlike the Lions QB isn't a problem.
3. Kansas City Chiefs - Aaron Curry, OLB Wake Forrest
Curry may be the best overall prospect in this draft and he can play any linebacker position asked of him. While KC probably has a bigger need for an End, the Defensive End pool this year is deep, but their isn't a player worth a top 3 pick. Mel Kiper lost a lot of credibility when he had Kansas City picking Mark Sanchez simply because Tyler Thigpin proved he is a Professional football player last year.
4. Seattle Seahawks - Michael Crabtree, WR Texas Tech
No pick makes more since than this. Seattle Seahawks are a West Coast Offensive team desperate for a wide receiver. Michael Crabtree is a brilliant wide out perfect for a West Coast Offense. Mark it down.
5. Cleveland Browns - Rey Maualuga, OLB USC
Willie McGinest will probably retire and Andra Davis is set to be a Free Agent. In comes Rey Mauluga. This may be a reach and Cleveland may look at Malcom Jenkins but I think this fills the biggest need here. Like DE there are many starting CB's in this draft - some will be found in round 4.
6. Cincinnati Bengals - Eugene Monroe, OT Virginia
Bengals have big needs at Offensive tackle and Monroe offers top 5 talent at the six pick here. They have needs defensively at well, but unless Curry slips I don't see them passing on an OT here.
7. Oakland Raiders - Jeremy Maclin, WR Missouri
Personally I think Oakland should draft Jason Smith should he be an option here, but the Raiders rarely do what they should do. Maclin is an exciting, fast wide receiver - exactly the sort of player that has a little blue pill like impact on Al Davis.
8. Jacksonville Jaguars - Andre Smith, OT Alabama
Jacksonville's tackle corps was devastated this year, luckily this draft is exactly what the team needs. I am giving them Andre Smith over Jason Smith simply because I think Andre is a sexier prospect.
9. Green Bay Packers - Brian Orakpo, DE Texas
There can be some debate about whether Orakpo is the best DE in this draft, but the guy is a work out warrior and there is no doubt the Scouting Combine will help him as much as any player. He fulfills the Packer's biggest need here.
10. San Francisco 49er's - B.J. Raji, DT Boston College
I love B.J. Raji and he is exactly the sort of player Mike Singletary wants on his team. I am sure they would give a hard look to Mark Sanchez but I think being from USC may hurt him here (name the last USC offensive player to live up to his potential) and I think Singletary likes Shaun Hill.
11. Buffalo Bills Brandon Pettigrew, TE Oklahoma State
The best block TE prospect since Daniel Graham, Pettigrew also offers some potential as a wide receiver. He helps Buffalo in many ways and may become Trent Edward's new best friend.
12 Denver Broncos, Knowshon Moreno RB Georgia
Imagine Cutler, Royal, Marshall and Moreno running Josh McDaniel's offense. Now go change your pants. You could argue that the Bronco's have a bigger need to address defense, but if hiring Josh McDaniel's over Spagnola or Raheem Morris is any indication Denver may still be looking for the big O.
13. Washington Redskins, Peria Jerry, DT Ole Miss
Peria is not simply a great defensive tackle, he is a leader. The Redskins needs some soul on defense as much as they need a defensive tackle. Fill both needs with this pick. Offensive line could also be a target here.
14. New Orleans Saints Malcom Jenkins, CB Ohio State
If any team needs to trade down, its the Saints. This team would love a Center, but its far too high to pick one this draft. They could be equally giddy, however, should Jenkins fall to them in this position. A Linebacker would also be a possibility with this pick.
15. Houston Texans, Everett Brown DE FSU
Mario Williams is fantastic but he has no partner on the other side. The Texans really wish Taylor Mays had entered the draft, but they would be happy with Everett Brown as well whose has been projected as high as a to 5 pick. FSU has had a bad history with DE's recently, but I don't think that prevents the pick here. Should Dunta Robinson enter the Free Agency, look at CB as an option.
16. San Diego Chargers Beanie Wells, RB, Ohio State
Darren Sproles is not an every down back and LT is probably gone by April, enter Christopher Wells. San Diego may look at a linebacker here, but I think its hard to pass up a runner like Wells when there is a need.
17. New York Jets, Tyson Jackson, DE LSU
Tyson Jackson would be a fantastic addition to Ryan's 3-4 scheme and offers tremendous value at the 17 spot. Jackson is a better prospect than Marcus Spears was when he left Louisiana a few years ago. He could be to NY what Ty Warren is for New England.
18. Chicago Bears - Mark Sanchez, QB USC
Is Mark Sanchez a franchise QB? Probably not. Is he an improvement over what Chicago has? Hopefully. I don't think Chicago can afford to pass on a QB here, even though they would love to add Hakeen Nicks or another talented wide receiver. That opens the door, however for
19 Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Hakeem Nicks, WR North Carolina
While Tampa could use a pass rusher, Tampa's would do well to put someone on the other side of Antonio Bryant. Joey Gallaway should be on Dancing with the Stars and Michael Clayton shouldn't be resigned. While Tampa may be better addressing this need in the Free Agency, Tampa has shown an unwillingness to spend money.
20. Detroit Lions, Jason Smith, OT, Baylor
If this scenario plays out then Detroit may have a professional football franchise come August. I think Jason Smith will be the best tackle in this draft, but I think he could be overlooked due to how deep the OT pool is this year. Should he fall he is exactly the sort of franchise tackle many want Detroit to pick with the first pick, all with the fun of having Matt Stafford as well.
21. Philadelphia Eagles, LeSean McCoy, RB Pittsburgh
The Eagles have needs at Safety and Tackle but I don't think they are in a position to pick either with this pick. The Eagles also have a need for an RB that can run between the tackles and help the oft injured Westbrook.
22. Minnesota Vikings, Vontae Davis, CB Illinois
There may be some interest in Josh Freeman, but to me he screams Tavaris Jackson clone, plus Jackson's production at the end of the season is a reason to not draft a replacement, Minnesota needs a free agent, not a rookie. Vontae Davis gives talent to a group of corners that have little right home about after Antoine Winfield.
23. New England Patriots, William Moore, S, Missouri
Rodney Harrison is gone and the Patriots need a replacement. With Taylor Mayes returning to Cali, Moore becomes the top Safety in the draft. Its very Patriots like to fill your biggest need with the best player.
24. Atlanta Falcons D.J. Moore, CB, Vanderbilt
The Falcons made great strides last year and Moore can help them continue in 2009. Their secondary is fairly lackluster and Moore is the smart playmaker the Falcons need. He could be a star on that defense. Atlanta would prefer a defensive tackle, but there is no option with this pick.
25. Miami Dolphins, Brian Cushing, OLB, USC
No matter what Kiper says, Parcells doesn't pick wide outs in the first round. You know what he does take? Linebackers. Cushing may be the best linebacker coming out of USC and he has performed great at the Senior Bowl. What may keep him from going before 25 is a history of injuries when with the Trojans.
26. Baltimore Ravens, Alphonso Smith, CB, Wake Forrest
Alphonso Smith may not be the most impressive player from a measurables stand point, but we see time and time again that measurables are not nearly as important as ability. Smith is a playmaker and his selection would help fill the one hole in Baltimore's D - the long ball.
27. Indianapolis Colts, Brandon LaFell, WR LSU
Wide Receiver is not Indi's biggest need, but they still need to replace Marvin Harrison and it would be hard to choose Evander Hood in the first round. LaFell is a 6'3 wide receiver that would make Peyton Manning very happy.
28. Philadelphia Eagles, Eben Britton, OT Arizona
Philadelphia will soon be losing Tra Thomas and Jon Runyan and Winston Justice isn't a franchise OT. William Beatty could leap frog Britton as the fifth best tackle in the draft, but right now I will keep with Britton.
29. New York Giants, Darrius Heyward-Bey, WR Maryland
If Burress was on the team I would give they would want to pick Clint Sintim from Virginia but without Plaxico the team has suffered from a severe lack of a deep threat. Steve Smith is a solid number two, but he can't scare a defense anymore than an ancient Amani Toomer. Heyward-Bey is arguably the second best WR in this draft and would give New York some teeth back.
30. Tennessee Titans, Percy Harvin WR Florida
Tennessee made the right pick when they selected Chris Johnson last year over a wide receiver, here they have a chance to pick a play maker with Harvin. He is stupid fast and would help in the Special Teams as well as giving the Titans a legit deep threat on offense.
31. Pittsburgh Steelers, Max Unger, C Oregon
Pittsburgh's Offensive line struggles are well documented, and while Alex Mack is the best Center in the draft, Unger is well known and respected for his ability to play any position on the O-Line. This versatility makes him a more valuable pick for Pittsburgh.
32. Arizona Cardinals, Aaron Maybin, DE Penn State
Bert Berry could be a free agent and the defense is still where Arizona needs the most help. Aaron Maybin is a fantastic pass rusher who is athletic and fast. He would instantly upgrade Arizona's ability to get to the Quarterback.
Top 5 at each position
Here are my opinions on the top players in each position. This does not always correlate with the best "prospect" and thus may look far different than my mock draft.
Quarterback
1. Matt Stafford
2. Rhett Bomar
3. Josh Freeman
4. Mark Sanchez
5. Nate Davis
I think its real easy to look great when you constantly play teams with significantly less talent - thus I am not in love with Mark Sanchez. I do love Mathew Stafford who has all the tools to be an elite NFL QB. Rhett Bomar would be a first round pick if he wasn't force to go to Sam Houston State.
Running Back
1. Knowshon Moreno
2. LeSean McCoy
3. Chris Wells
4. Shonn Greene
5. James Davis
I love Knowshon Moreno and his vision and elusiveness. He doesn't have the best speed or the best size but the kid plays with such excitement you can't help but enjoy watching him play. Shonn Greene is similar to this regard and I consider him to be a poor man's Knowshon on a Professional level. I question Beanie's durability which forces me to put LeSean before him.
Wide Receiver
1. Michael Crabtree
2. Darrius Heyward-Bey
3. Jeremy Macklin
4. Hakeem Nicks
5. Brandon LaFell
Crabtree is the closest thing to an "elite WR prospect" in this draft. Heyward-Bey was underused almost as much as Calvin Johnson was at GT and I think he will be a great Pro wide receiver.
Tight End:
1. Brandon Pettigrew
2. Chase Coffman
3. Jared Cook
4. Cornelius Ingram
5. Travis Beckum
Brandon Pettigrew is the only one I love right now, but I think there is a lot of potential in all five players there. Coffman is a 6'6 beast that is use to playing with the ball. Jared Cook is quick for a TE and could be a true offensive weapon. Ingram showed a lot in the National Championship game and Travis Beckum is easy to overlook coming out of underperforming Wisconsin but I think he has a future in the NFL.
Offensive Tackle
1. Jason Smith
2. Eugene Monroe
3. Michael Oher
4. Andre Smith
5. William Beatty
I cannot say enough good things about Jason Smith, this guy is a beast. Oher and Monroe constantly fight for the number two spot on my boards, I am giving the edge to Monroe simply because Oher's Senior Bowl game was less than impressive though his workouts during the week were a different story. I think Andre Smith is not nearly as much of a sure thing as many others, there are some real red flags there and even if I remove him he is the inferior Smith.
As to other Mock Drafts and quality draft sites I recommend:
www.draftcountdown.com
www.draftdaddy.com
www.draftking.com
My draft order came from:
http://myespn.go.com/blogs/nflnation/0-4-1074/Updated-2009-NFL-draft-order--1-thru-30.html
To kick off the discussion I will give my own first Mock Draft (which is actually more credible than Mel Kiper Jr.'s) as well as my own top 5 QB, RB and WR (with other positions to be provided later.
1. Detroit Lions - Matt Stafford, QB Georgia
I believe Mathew Stafford is the best QB prospect since Peyton Manning and combining him with Calvin Johnson could be just what is needed to bring Detroit out of the basement. Under OC Scott Linehan's careful eye this could be Culpepper to Moss 2.0.
2. St. Louis Rams - Michael Oher, OT Ole Miss
Many have Andre Smith as their top OT prospect, I am not nearly as high. Michael Oher has dominated in Senior Bowl practices and his staff will go through the roof if he continues what he has done in Mobile the past week. The Rams need help in many places, like the Lions, but unlike the Lions QB isn't a problem.
3. Kansas City Chiefs - Aaron Curry, OLB Wake Forrest
Curry may be the best overall prospect in this draft and he can play any linebacker position asked of him. While KC probably has a bigger need for an End, the Defensive End pool this year is deep, but their isn't a player worth a top 3 pick. Mel Kiper lost a lot of credibility when he had Kansas City picking Mark Sanchez simply because Tyler Thigpin proved he is a Professional football player last year.
4. Seattle Seahawks - Michael Crabtree, WR Texas Tech
No pick makes more since than this. Seattle Seahawks are a West Coast Offensive team desperate for a wide receiver. Michael Crabtree is a brilliant wide out perfect for a West Coast Offense. Mark it down.
5. Cleveland Browns - Rey Maualuga, OLB USC
Willie McGinest will probably retire and Andra Davis is set to be a Free Agent. In comes Rey Mauluga. This may be a reach and Cleveland may look at Malcom Jenkins but I think this fills the biggest need here. Like DE there are many starting CB's in this draft - some will be found in round 4.
6. Cincinnati Bengals - Eugene Monroe, OT Virginia
Bengals have big needs at Offensive tackle and Monroe offers top 5 talent at the six pick here. They have needs defensively at well, but unless Curry slips I don't see them passing on an OT here.
7. Oakland Raiders - Jeremy Maclin, WR Missouri
Personally I think Oakland should draft Jason Smith should he be an option here, but the Raiders rarely do what they should do. Maclin is an exciting, fast wide receiver - exactly the sort of player that has a little blue pill like impact on Al Davis.
8. Jacksonville Jaguars - Andre Smith, OT Alabama
Jacksonville's tackle corps was devastated this year, luckily this draft is exactly what the team needs. I am giving them Andre Smith over Jason Smith simply because I think Andre is a sexier prospect.
9. Green Bay Packers - Brian Orakpo, DE Texas
There can be some debate about whether Orakpo is the best DE in this draft, but the guy is a work out warrior and there is no doubt the Scouting Combine will help him as much as any player. He fulfills the Packer's biggest need here.
10. San Francisco 49er's - B.J. Raji, DT Boston College
I love B.J. Raji and he is exactly the sort of player Mike Singletary wants on his team. I am sure they would give a hard look to Mark Sanchez but I think being from USC may hurt him here (name the last USC offensive player to live up to his potential) and I think Singletary likes Shaun Hill.
11. Buffalo Bills Brandon Pettigrew, TE Oklahoma State
The best block TE prospect since Daniel Graham, Pettigrew also offers some potential as a wide receiver. He helps Buffalo in many ways and may become Trent Edward's new best friend.
12 Denver Broncos, Knowshon Moreno RB Georgia
Imagine Cutler, Royal, Marshall and Moreno running Josh McDaniel's offense. Now go change your pants. You could argue that the Bronco's have a bigger need to address defense, but if hiring Josh McDaniel's over Spagnola or Raheem Morris is any indication Denver may still be looking for the big O.
13. Washington Redskins, Peria Jerry, DT Ole Miss
Peria is not simply a great defensive tackle, he is a leader. The Redskins needs some soul on defense as much as they need a defensive tackle. Fill both needs with this pick. Offensive line could also be a target here.
14. New Orleans Saints Malcom Jenkins, CB Ohio State
If any team needs to trade down, its the Saints. This team would love a Center, but its far too high to pick one this draft. They could be equally giddy, however, should Jenkins fall to them in this position. A Linebacker would also be a possibility with this pick.
15. Houston Texans, Everett Brown DE FSU
Mario Williams is fantastic but he has no partner on the other side. The Texans really wish Taylor Mays had entered the draft, but they would be happy with Everett Brown as well whose has been projected as high as a to 5 pick. FSU has had a bad history with DE's recently, but I don't think that prevents the pick here. Should Dunta Robinson enter the Free Agency, look at CB as an option.
16. San Diego Chargers Beanie Wells, RB, Ohio State
Darren Sproles is not an every down back and LT is probably gone by April, enter Christopher Wells. San Diego may look at a linebacker here, but I think its hard to pass up a runner like Wells when there is a need.
17. New York Jets, Tyson Jackson, DE LSU
Tyson Jackson would be a fantastic addition to Ryan's 3-4 scheme and offers tremendous value at the 17 spot. Jackson is a better prospect than Marcus Spears was when he left Louisiana a few years ago. He could be to NY what Ty Warren is for New England.
18. Chicago Bears - Mark Sanchez, QB USC
Is Mark Sanchez a franchise QB? Probably not. Is he an improvement over what Chicago has? Hopefully. I don't think Chicago can afford to pass on a QB here, even though they would love to add Hakeen Nicks or another talented wide receiver. That opens the door, however for
19 Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Hakeem Nicks, WR North Carolina
While Tampa could use a pass rusher, Tampa's would do well to put someone on the other side of Antonio Bryant. Joey Gallaway should be on Dancing with the Stars and Michael Clayton shouldn't be resigned. While Tampa may be better addressing this need in the Free Agency, Tampa has shown an unwillingness to spend money.
20. Detroit Lions, Jason Smith, OT, Baylor
If this scenario plays out then Detroit may have a professional football franchise come August. I think Jason Smith will be the best tackle in this draft, but I think he could be overlooked due to how deep the OT pool is this year. Should he fall he is exactly the sort of franchise tackle many want Detroit to pick with the first pick, all with the fun of having Matt Stafford as well.
21. Philadelphia Eagles, LeSean McCoy, RB Pittsburgh
The Eagles have needs at Safety and Tackle but I don't think they are in a position to pick either with this pick. The Eagles also have a need for an RB that can run between the tackles and help the oft injured Westbrook.
22. Minnesota Vikings, Vontae Davis, CB Illinois
There may be some interest in Josh Freeman, but to me he screams Tavaris Jackson clone, plus Jackson's production at the end of the season is a reason to not draft a replacement, Minnesota needs a free agent, not a rookie. Vontae Davis gives talent to a group of corners that have little right home about after Antoine Winfield.
23. New England Patriots, William Moore, S, Missouri
Rodney Harrison is gone and the Patriots need a replacement. With Taylor Mayes returning to Cali, Moore becomes the top Safety in the draft. Its very Patriots like to fill your biggest need with the best player.
24. Atlanta Falcons D.J. Moore, CB, Vanderbilt
The Falcons made great strides last year and Moore can help them continue in 2009. Their secondary is fairly lackluster and Moore is the smart playmaker the Falcons need. He could be a star on that defense. Atlanta would prefer a defensive tackle, but there is no option with this pick.
25. Miami Dolphins, Brian Cushing, OLB, USC
No matter what Kiper says, Parcells doesn't pick wide outs in the first round. You know what he does take? Linebackers. Cushing may be the best linebacker coming out of USC and he has performed great at the Senior Bowl. What may keep him from going before 25 is a history of injuries when with the Trojans.
26. Baltimore Ravens, Alphonso Smith, CB, Wake Forrest
Alphonso Smith may not be the most impressive player from a measurables stand point, but we see time and time again that measurables are not nearly as important as ability. Smith is a playmaker and his selection would help fill the one hole in Baltimore's D - the long ball.
27. Indianapolis Colts, Brandon LaFell, WR LSU
Wide Receiver is not Indi's biggest need, but they still need to replace Marvin Harrison and it would be hard to choose Evander Hood in the first round. LaFell is a 6'3 wide receiver that would make Peyton Manning very happy.
28. Philadelphia Eagles, Eben Britton, OT Arizona
Philadelphia will soon be losing Tra Thomas and Jon Runyan and Winston Justice isn't a franchise OT. William Beatty could leap frog Britton as the fifth best tackle in the draft, but right now I will keep with Britton.
29. New York Giants, Darrius Heyward-Bey, WR Maryland
If Burress was on the team I would give they would want to pick Clint Sintim from Virginia but without Plaxico the team has suffered from a severe lack of a deep threat. Steve Smith is a solid number two, but he can't scare a defense anymore than an ancient Amani Toomer. Heyward-Bey is arguably the second best WR in this draft and would give New York some teeth back.
30. Tennessee Titans, Percy Harvin WR Florida
Tennessee made the right pick when they selected Chris Johnson last year over a wide receiver, here they have a chance to pick a play maker with Harvin. He is stupid fast and would help in the Special Teams as well as giving the Titans a legit deep threat on offense.
31. Pittsburgh Steelers, Max Unger, C Oregon
Pittsburgh's Offensive line struggles are well documented, and while Alex Mack is the best Center in the draft, Unger is well known and respected for his ability to play any position on the O-Line. This versatility makes him a more valuable pick for Pittsburgh.
32. Arizona Cardinals, Aaron Maybin, DE Penn State
Bert Berry could be a free agent and the defense is still where Arizona needs the most help. Aaron Maybin is a fantastic pass rusher who is athletic and fast. He would instantly upgrade Arizona's ability to get to the Quarterback.
Top 5 at each position
Here are my opinions on the top players in each position. This does not always correlate with the best "prospect" and thus may look far different than my mock draft.
Quarterback
1. Matt Stafford
2. Rhett Bomar
3. Josh Freeman
4. Mark Sanchez
5. Nate Davis
I think its real easy to look great when you constantly play teams with significantly less talent - thus I am not in love with Mark Sanchez. I do love Mathew Stafford who has all the tools to be an elite NFL QB. Rhett Bomar would be a first round pick if he wasn't force to go to Sam Houston State.
Running Back
1. Knowshon Moreno
2. LeSean McCoy
3. Chris Wells
4. Shonn Greene
5. James Davis
I love Knowshon Moreno and his vision and elusiveness. He doesn't have the best speed or the best size but the kid plays with such excitement you can't help but enjoy watching him play. Shonn Greene is similar to this regard and I consider him to be a poor man's Knowshon on a Professional level. I question Beanie's durability which forces me to put LeSean before him.
Wide Receiver
1. Michael Crabtree
2. Darrius Heyward-Bey
3. Jeremy Macklin
4. Hakeem Nicks
5. Brandon LaFell
Crabtree is the closest thing to an "elite WR prospect" in this draft. Heyward-Bey was underused almost as much as Calvin Johnson was at GT and I think he will be a great Pro wide receiver.
Tight End:
1. Brandon Pettigrew
2. Chase Coffman
3. Jared Cook
4. Cornelius Ingram
5. Travis Beckum
Brandon Pettigrew is the only one I love right now, but I think there is a lot of potential in all five players there. Coffman is a 6'6 beast that is use to playing with the ball. Jared Cook is quick for a TE and could be a true offensive weapon. Ingram showed a lot in the National Championship game and Travis Beckum is easy to overlook coming out of underperforming Wisconsin but I think he has a future in the NFL.
Offensive Tackle
1. Jason Smith
2. Eugene Monroe
3. Michael Oher
4. Andre Smith
5. William Beatty
I cannot say enough good things about Jason Smith, this guy is a beast. Oher and Monroe constantly fight for the number two spot on my boards, I am giving the edge to Monroe simply because Oher's Senior Bowl game was less than impressive though his workouts during the week were a different story. I think Andre Smith is not nearly as much of a sure thing as many others, there are some real red flags there and even if I remove him he is the inferior Smith.
As to other Mock Drafts and quality draft sites I recommend:
www.draftcountdown.com
www.draftdaddy.com
www.draftking.com
My draft order came from:
http://myespn.go.com/blogs/nflnation/0-4-1074/Updated-2009-NFL-draft-order--1-thru-30.html
Last edited:
?
