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1) St. Louis Rams - Tim Tebow, QB, Florida I think this will be a great season for Tebow and the start of a decline for Bulger. Tebow is a "can do it all" type of QB who's extremley smart and gifted. If Linehan can retain his job, I think he looks to revamp the offense. While the Rams won't be as bad as their record may indicate, they have some tough match-ups that I just don't see them winning. 2) Detroit Lions - Malcolm Jenkins, CB, Ohio State No team allowed more yards in 2007 than the Detroit Lions did. While they were lacking against the run, it was the pass that really killed them. Virtually nothing was done via the draft to shore that up. One area of opportunity remains at CB. Jenkins is the best prospect at the position and could come in and help out immediately. 3) Atlanta Falcons - Andre Smith, OT, Alabama This team will be okay. It just needs some years to pick up the pieces that came with losing a QB like Vick. While they did grab Sam Baker in the most recent draft, they still need an upgrade at LT. Smith should have a great year and look the part. Matt Ryan will be the QB for years to come. When they get him protection and give running lanes to Turner and Norwood, they'll progress. 4) Oakland Raiders - Rey Maualuga, ILB, USC The Raiders were 31st in the league last year against the run, yet they didn't pick up much talent to improve in that area. Their CBs are solid, so teams will look to run the ball. Maualuga is a head-hunter at ILB, and will help this team in that area. While a DT would make more sense, the Raiders are unconventional and like physical freaks. 5) Kansas City Chiefs - Matt Stafford, QB, Georgia The Chiefs had an amazing 2008 draft, and will see the value of it over time. However, it will take some time to piece everything together. If they are drafting this early, there's a good chance things didn't pan out at the QB spot. While I like Croyle, I don't think they'll pass up on Stafford. He has a great arm and will be NFL ready after this season. 6) Miami Dolphins - James Laurinaitis, LB, Ohio State When it's all said and done, this may not be the biggest need for the Dolphins. They added a lot of talent at the LB position this off-season, and should not finish dead last in the league in terms of yards allowed per game. However, Laurinaitis is an amazing talent who could play any LB position you put him at. Blessed w/ great size and speed, he would start somewhere. 7) New York Jets - Taylor Mays, FS, USC In each of the past three seasons, Thomas Jones has rushed for over 1,000 yards. So, I don't think they target RB here. Additionally, the Jets added a stud or two on D-Line and at LB between last year and now, so things may look pretty good in that department. However, Mays could be an upgrade at Safety. He runs like a CB and hits like a LB. He could play at either Safety spot. 8) Cincinnati Bengals - Chris Wells, RB, Ohio State It just doesn't seem like Marvin Lewis has a handle on things in Cincinnati. While they'll be able to create some fireworks now and again, I think they'll get exposed in this conference. While their D-Line may end up being the greatest need they need to address, I don't think they pass on Wells here. While Rudi Johnson is serviceable, Wells would be a step up at this point. 9) Washington Redskins - Michael Johnson, DE, Georgia Tech Washington doesn't have a bad team. They do however play in a very tough conference. I think they're lacking D-Line will be exposed this year, and will cause them to make a move to shore it up. While I do think Johnson is overrated at this point, he has the physical ability to break out. I could see him taken in the Top 10; especially from a team who needs DE help. 10) Baltimore Ravens - Michael Crabtree, WR, Texas Tech As I stated in my AFC Draft Report Card, I think the Ravens had a great 2008 draft. This is a team that will truly take off in a year or two. One position where they could get younger at is WR. Crabtree has a nice combination of size and speed, and is quite simply a pass catching machine. While the system he's in does inflate his numbers, he's that good. 11) Green Bay Packers - Knowshon Moreno, RB, Georgia While it may seem crazy to have the Packers drafting this early, I think they're will be some struggles without Favre around. It's always hard to gauge just how much a team is impacted when they lose a leader like Favre. At any event, Moreno may be the best RB in the nation, and is quite simply a notch above any other RB the Pack has. 12) Philadelphia Eagles - Eugene Monroe, OT, Virginia Some of the more recent O-Line picks haven't played out real well for the Eagles, so I could see them going with a guy who should be a lock to start in 1 to 2 years out. Bear in mind that ex-teammate Brandon Albert is expected to start at LT for the Chiefs. Virginia opted not to displace Monroe with Albert at said position. That should say something. 13) Buffalo Bills - George Selvie, DE, South Florida The Bills interior D-Line should be solid with the Stroud-McCargo tandem. But, the team could look to make some changes at DE if their defense doesn't produce more than 26 Sacks this season. Selvie has been a pass rushing machine the past two years. If he continues that streak in year-three, expect him to declare and to go early. 14) Houston Texans - LeSean McCoy, RB, Pittsburgh Yes, the Texans have Ahman Green and Chris Brown. And yes, they did draft Steve Slaton in last year's draft. Here's the deal. McCoy is a more complete back than any of the aforementioned. He has the size to carry the rock 20+ a game and the speed to bust it wide open. The 1-2 punch of McCoy and Slaton would be scary. 15) San Francisco 49ers - Jeremy Maclin, WR, Missouri Time will tell as to whether Alex Smith can cut the mustard or not. Even if he doesn't pan out this year, I don't see another QB on the board worthy of this selection. With that said, the 49ers still need help at WR. Maclin has blazing speed and doesn't drop much. In time, he'll develop into a true star. 16) Seattle Seahawks - Sen'Derrick Marks, DT, Auburn Marks has a good shot at being this year's Sedrick Ellis. He's a menacing force on the inside that's very tough to contain. He may be the most consistent interior D-Lineman in the nation. The Seahawks have been looking for help at DT, so this is a pick that would make sense. Marks has the talent to see reps as a rookie. 17) Denver Broncos - William Moore, FS, Missouri You just have to love John Lynch, but the guy can't last forever. When he does hang it up, the impact will be seriously felt unless they get a stud to replace him. Enter Moore. Like Lynch, Moore is a head-hunter. He has good size and speed for the position, and may be the best pure Safety in the draft. 18) Tennessee Titans - Greg Hardy, DE, Ole Miss Is Kearse really the long term answer at DE for the Titans? If that question was posed five years ago, then okay. However, they will need to replace him. When Hardy gives it his all, you'll struggle to find a better DE in the college ranks. He should have another great season and flash NFL form. He's a player this team could use. 19) Tampa Bay Bucs - Percy Harvin, WR, Florida Any way you slice it, the Bucs have to get younger at WR. Harvin is a speedster who could be used in a number of different ways to help electrify an offense. He has crazy speed and is the type of player that has to be accounted for at all times. If he can recover from an off-season foot surgery, he should have another monster year. 20) Chicago Bears - Brian Cushing, OLB, USC Lance Briggs, Brian Urlacher, Brian Cushing. That has the makings to be one of the best LB corps in all of football. The Bears love defense, so it would be no surprise if they look their first. While I do think they'll look QB, I doubt it would be at this selection. If the Bears are drafting in the Top 10, they then may. Cushing has all the size and speed needed to dominate at SLB. 21) Pittsburgh Steelers - Michael Oher, OT, Ole Miss The Steelers really don't have too many holes on their team. However, it would be hard for any team to say that they don't need any help or depth along their O-Line. Oher is a big prospect who may have the ability to play LT at the next level. If not, he could easily slide down to the right side or play OG. He'd be a great value pick here. 22) New Orleans Saints - Brandon Pettigrew, TE, Oklahoma State While Eric Johnson is nothing to sneeze at as far as TE's go, he does not have the upside that Pettigrew does. Pettigrew is a complete package who can block, catch and run well. He also plays with a bit of a nasty streak to him. Every TE needs to block from time to time, but it appears he enjoys it. This is an athletic kid who'd add another weapon to Brees' arsenal. 23) Arizona Cardinals - Duke Robinson, OG, Oklahoma Wisenhunt and Grimm both understand the importance of being able to move the ball on the ground. While the Edge may have lost a step, he's still a solid RB. And, there will be talent available in Round 2. Robinson is a massive OG who very well might be the top prospect at his position. He pulls extremely well and paves a big path. 24) Philadelphia Eagles - Vontae Davis, CB, Illinois It wouldn't surprise me if Davis ends up being gone by this selection. He is a big, physical CB who can mix it up with the best of them. While I imagine most QBs will be throwing away from him this season, they'll test the waters with him now and again. It never hurts to have healthy competition at the CB spot. 25) Cleveland Browns - Brian Orakpo, DE, Texas The Browns are a much improved team, and should have a very good season. While Willie McGinest is holding down one of the OLB spots for now, this may be his last year. Orakpo has the ability to transition into a 3-4 OLB. He's an athletic good who should post the type of workout numbers that the Browns covet. 26) San Diego Chargers - Herman Johnson, OG, LSU As long as Tomlinson is in the backfield, the Chargers will have a heavy concentration on running the ball. Johnson is a mammoth man who would provide some youth to the O-Line. He's good enough to challenge for a starting spot right out of the gate. The Chargers could also look for more depth at LB as well. 27) New York Giants - Fili Moala, DT, USC Having just come off of a Super Bowl win, it's not like the Giants are hurting in too many areas. One thing that they reminded us all of is that you have to get to the passer to make it in this league. Often times that means creating enough on the interior to free up your outside guys. Moala is a big body that would help this team do just that. 28) New England Patriots - Brandon Spikes, ILB, Florida Bruschi is another one of those guys who you'd like to see play forever. However, that of course ain't gonna happen. Spikes is a great prospect who could learn a thing or two from this great LB corps before taking on a starting role. He has a nice combination of speed and size, and would compliment this team in time. 29) Minnesota Vikings - Aaron Curry, OLB, Wake Forest They Vikings were the best team in the league last year when it came to stopping the run. However, there were some improvements that could have been made at OLB. I'd think that Curry would be a step up from Ben Leber at said position. Not only is Curry good against the run, but he's great in pass coverage. 30) Indianapolis Colts - DeMarcus Granger, DT, Oklahoma While the Colts' defense was a vast improvement last season, they could still use some more depth along their D-Line. Granger is a big, commanding DT who would fit nicely into a regular rotation. There is a good possibility that he doesn't declare. However, I think he'll have a good enough season to where he will. 31) Dallas Cowboys - Tyson Jackson, DE, LSU Yes, the Cowboys need a WR. However, the need was there last year too, so what difference does a year make? Instead, I see them going with the highest rated base 3-4 DE in the draft. While Jackson's productivity dropped off last year, he should be back to his Sophomore form in 2008. He'd be a great depth pick, and someone who could work in as a rookie. 32) Jacksonville Jaguars - Louis Murphy, WR, Florida The only big question mark I have regarding the Jaguars has to do with who at the WR position. I'm not sure that the talent at this position is the best that it could it be. Murphy is a very fast, capable WR who should have a banner year with Tebow and company. While Harvin may get more national press, Murphy may be the better of the two. |