Mock Draft-1st Round 3/2/09
By Joe Barnes
| # | Team | Pick | |
| 1 | Detroit Lions (0-16) | Matt Stafford, QB, Georgia: The Lions could go with Andre Smith, but his leaving the combine, and not woking out at the combine makes him a bad item right now. Depending on his pro day, he could hop back into this spot. Also, Stafford’s statement that he would love to play for Detroit might just flatter them enough. | |
| 2 | St. Louis Rams (2-14) | Eugene Monroe, OT, Virginia: The Rams need help on the line, and Monroe is probably the top rated lineman on many teams’ boards after Smith’s incident. | |
| 3 | Kansas City Chiefs (2-14) | Aaron Curry, OLB, Wake Forest: I know that Chiefs fans, and everyone want Crabtree to go with this pick, but if he returns less solid after his foot surgery, which is a real possibility, then he might not be a top-5 prospect anymore. The Chiefs have been bad for long enough that they need a solid pick here, and Curry should be that guy. | |
| 4 | Seattle Seahawks (4-12) | Michael Crabtree, WR, Texas Tech: The Seahawks, on the other end of the spectrum from the Chiefs, need a gamble. Their receiving corps is bad enough that taking a guy coming off a somewhat significant injury is a must. He should be able to help Hasselback resurrect his career after this season’s disappointment. | |
| 5 | Cleveland Browns (4-12) | Malcolm Jenkins, CB, Ohio St: The Browns have a horrible secondary (read:Week 13), and Jenkins is the real deal. He’s 6’1″ and 201 lbs, but was slight disappointing at the combine. He usually runs about a 4.42 40, but in Indy ran in the 4.55 range. I’m still a believer that his on-the-field talent will overshadow his disappointing combine. | |
| 6 | Cincinnati Bengals (4-11-1) | Andre Smith, OT, Alabama: The Bengals’ offensive line is terrible, and they would take a flyer on Smith just for his talent, and forget his immature attitude. If he shines in more workouts, RB Chris “Beanie” Wells could soar into this spot, but it would be a real reach at #6. | |
| 7 | Oakland Raiders (5-11) | Jason Smith, OT, Baylor. The Raiders could actually take a good lineman here, and not let Crazy Al Davis take a flashy receiver and waste his money. If these two picks turned out to be true (#6 and #7), it would be the first time that two players named Smith were drafted back-to-back. | |
| 8 | Jacksonville Jaguars (5-11) | B.J. Raji, DT, Boston College. The Jags really need an tackle here, but with all the top lineman off the board, Raji is a great talent. He could start over Robert Meier, the Jags’ opposite on the line to stud John Henderson and give Jacksonville a rock-solid interior line. | |
| 9 | Green Bay Packers (6-10) | Brian Orakpo, DE/OLB, Texas. The Packers need a pass rushing threat, and Orakpo is that and more. The “workout warrior” is huge but fast, weighing in at 260 lbs, but running a 4.7 40, faster than some skill position players. He brings an imposing presence to any defense. | |
| 10 | San Francisco 49ers (7-9) | Mark Sanchez, QB, USC. The Niners pick up Sanchez with the #10 pick, which could either be a steal, or a reach, as no one has quite seen enough of him to make a good read of him. | |
| 11 | Buffalo Bills (7-9) | Tyson Jackson, DE, LSU. Jackson is above Everette Brown because of his experience. Brown played an extra year in the SEC for one of the nation’s best defenses, and won a National Championship. Talent wise, he could be a spot behind Brown. | |
| 12 | Denver Broncos (8-8) | Everette Brown, DE/OLB, Florida State: If the Broncos sign Ray Lewis, this pick would never happen, because they would look more to the offensive side, but Brown is a great selection at #12. He’s a great tackler and an amazing physical specimen. | |
| 13 | Washington Redskins (8-8) | Michael Oher, OT, Ole Miss. Oher is a huge, talented, physical tackle who (sadly) could help the Redskins’ passing attack with his great pass blocking. He might have the most raw talent of any player in this draft, but has to refine it. | |
| 14 | New Orleans Saints (8-8) | Vontae Davis, CB, Illinois. The Saints’ secondary has been terrible for a few years, and Davis has been one of the few good performers of defensive backs. He is a ball-hawk and makes few mistakes. At Illinois, he covered pro-talent receivers of the Big Ten and in the Rose Bowl against USC. | |
| 15 | Houston Texans (8-8) | Michael Johnson, DE, Georgia Tech. One of many defensive lineman picked in this mock draft already, Johnson is at about the same level with them. He is strong ff the edge, and was one of G-Tech’s biggest impact players on defense this year. | |
| 16 | San Diego Chargers (8-8) | Jeremy Maclin, WR, Missouri: Maclin now appears to be the #2 receiver on the board, and would be a steal this late. Opposite Vincent Jackson, the Chargers would be one of the most troubling teams to defend against because of their speed and versatility. | |
| 17 | New York Jets (9-7) | Percy Harvin, WR, Florida: The Jets have made some major moves to improve their defense, now they need a speedy target to go along with a big target of Jerrico Cotchery for whoever will be their quarterback. With Coles gone, a large chunk of offense will be missing that Harvin can replace. | |
| 18 | Chicago Bears (9-7) | Rey Malauga, ILB, USC: You can’t really say that Inside Linebacker is the Bears’ biggest need, but when a premier linebacker falls this far to a defense-oriented team, what choice do you have? | |
| 19 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-7) | Brian Cushing, OLB, USC: The Bucs can shut a hole at linebacker with Cushing, a solid tackler who can get to the QB. |
NOTE: Cushing’s stock has been rising, and continues to. He was once a borderline first round pick, now is being projected in some top 10s 20Detroit Lions (9-7, Pick via Cowboys)William Beatty, OT, UConn: Beatty has surpassed Arizona’s Eben Britton as the top tackle of the second-tier behind the Smiths, Monroe and Oher. He had a great combine and could help the Lions’ line right away.21Philadelphia Eagles (9-6-1)Chris “Beanie” Wells, RB, Ohio State: If Wells fell this far, why wouldn’t the Eagles take him? They ran into injury troubles with Westbrook this year and don’t want to relive that, no matter how good Correll Buckhalter was. They need a young guy who can be their back of the future.22Minnesota Vikings (10-6)Darius Butler, CB, UConn: The Vikings’ secondary is lame. They need an upgrade and Butler is what they’re looking for. He’s big, fast and strong.23New England Patriots (11-6)James Lauranitis, ILB, Ohio State: The Patriots would love to replace Mike Vrabel with a young linebacker, and who better than this guy? He can pick off any pass a QB can throw over the middle, and hit harder than most.24Atlanta Falcons (11-5)Clay Matthews, OLB, USC: Both of the Falcons’ OLBs, Keith Brooking and Michael Boley, are, well, not Falcons anymore. Therefore, the Dirty Birds need a linebacker and Matthews is their guy.25Miami Dolphins (11-5)Aaron Maybin, DE/OLB, Penn State: The Dolphins are starting Matt Roth and Kendall Langford at LOLB and LE, respectively. Neither of them are as good as The Big Fish would like. Maybin brings and imposing presence to any defense, and what more can you ask for than that? Well, talent, I guess.26Baltimore Ravens (11-5)Darius Heyward-Bey, WR, Maryland: To go along with the emergence of Mark Clayton with Joe Flacco and Derrick Mason getting old, the Ravens need a receiver. Since Foxworth was signed, cornerback is not the team’s biggest need anymore. Heyward-Bey is tall, fast and has incredible hands.27Indianapolis Colts 12-4)Peria Jerry, DT, Ole Miss: Jerry is a bruiser, much like the Haloti Ngata type, but is athletic enough to finish tackles of quick running backs.28Philadelphia Eagles (12-4; Pick via CAR)William Moore, S, Missouri: Brian Dawkins is going to Denver, and the Eagles need a starting safety. Moore can fill that hole right away, an dare I say it, is similiar to Ed Reed in his playing style.29New York Giants (12-4)Kenny Britt, WR, Rutgers: The Giants need a receiver unless they keep Plaxy Waxy, which is doubtful. Britt had a great combine and is a prime-time performer either lined up wide or in the slot.30Tennessee Titans (13-3)Hakeem Nicks, WR, NC State: Alex Mack, the Cal center, would be a logical pick because of Kevin Mawae’s age, but the Titans need a receiver, even if that means reaching a bit.31Arizona Cardinals (9-7)Knowshown Moreno, RB, Georgia: With JJ Arrington and the Edge probably leaving, the Cards need a compliment to Tim Hightower, because he’s kinda lame. If Edge stays, maybe a safety or DB32Pittsburgh Steelers (12-4)Alex Mack, C, California: He is a center. He plays for Cal. The Steelers smell. No one cares.