Round One. 3/18

[MockyBalboa]

1. Detroit Lions – B.J. Raji DT Boston College
2. St. Louis Rams – Jason Smith T Baylor
3. Kansas City Chiefs – Michael Crabtree WR Texas Tech
4. Seattle Seahawks – Matthew Stafford QB Georgia
5. Cleveland Browns – Aaron Curry LB Wake Forest
6. Cincinnati Bengals – Eugene Monroe T Virginia
7. Oakland Raiders – Andre Smith T Alabama
8. Jacksonville Jaguars – Jeremy Maclin WR Missouri
9. Green Bay Packers – Malcolm Jenkins CB Ohio State
10. San Francisco 49ers – Mark Sanchez QB USC
11. Buffalo Bills – Everette Brown DE/OLB Florida State
12. Denver Broncos – Brian Orakpo OLB Texas
13. Washington Redskins – Robert Ayers DE Tennessee
14. New Orleans Saints – Vontae Davis CB Illinois
15. Houston Texans – Aaron Maybin DE/OLB Penn State
16. San Diego Chargers – Rey Maualuga ILB USC
17. New York Jets – Tyson Jackson DE LSU
18. Chicago Bears – Hakeem Nicks WR North Carolina
19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Chris Wells RB Ohio State
20. Detroit Lions – Alphonso Smith CB Wake Forest
21. Philadelphia Eagles – Brandon Pettigrew TE Oklahoma State
22. Minnesota Vikings – Sean Smith CB Utah
23. New England Patriots – Clay Matthews OLB USC
24. Atlanta Falcons – Brian Cushing OLB USC
25. Miami Dolphins – James Laurinaitis ILB Ohio State
26. Baltimore Ravens – Darrius Heyward-Bey WR Maryland
27. Indianapolis Colts – Peria Jerry DT Ole Miss
28. Philadelphia Eagles – Knowshon Moreno RB Georgia
29. New York Giants – William Beatty T Connecticut
30. Tennessee Titans – Kenny Britt WR Rutgers
31. Arizona Cardinals – Alex Mack C California
32. Pittsburgh Steelers – Michael Oher T Ole Miss

Notes:
-Jim Schwartz gets his Haynesworth in Detroit from B.J. Raji. Apparently it wasn't Corey Redding. He pops up on the radar a week or two from the draft as potential guys the Lions are about to sign. He comes in as the cheapest, while also providing a "safe" feeling at that #1 overall spot, that this franchise can feel comfortable with.

-Aaron Curry to the Chiefs seems to be the trendy pick right now. But with Todd Haley as Head Coach (Larry Fitzgerald) and Scott Pioli as GM (Randy Moss), added to the fact that they just picked up a Quarterback who many think was a product of the system, they add "Crab", to keep the "tree" going. Cassel to Bowe, Crabtree, and Engram. Yeah this looks like Arizona and New England.

-You got 3 Tackles going in the top 7, with the next one being picked at #29. Not that there is anything wrong with this class, but from #11 to #17, I see a big run on Defense. The Giants opt for William Beatty, somewhat more raw, to groom into what they want him to be. With Levi Brown already in Arizona, they go for Alex Mack who is reported to be on the Steelers radar. Whisenhunt can't help himself out there in Pittsburgh West. Michael Oher finally finds a home. Home of the Super Bowl trophy.

*Disclaimer: This is what I think the actual teams, not the fans, would do. i.e. I'm quite aware that there will be a good amount of upset Lions fans on draft day if they went this route.

[proshoota25]

100% sure rajii will not be picked first lol. decent patriots pick tho

[DiG]

too early on ayers if you ask me.

mathews over cushing is very surprising.

cant imagine oher falling to 32.

nice try being creative with raji at #1 but very unlikely.

[jj45]

Cushing>matthews

[broth223]

100% sure rajii will not be picked first lol. decent patriots pick tho

I have Raji as my dark horse pick as well. I wouldn't go as far as to say 100% won't happen more like 75 - 80% chance it won't happen. I was working on a mock myself that had Raji going #1.

[thenewfeature06]

Give OAK Maclin, Malcolm jenkins would be interesting too

[Mr. Hero]

I love beatty, especially with a season to bulk up because he's a great athlete with good technique in his footwork and his initial punch/push.

[wicket]

Vontae davis, why are you doing this to me?????????????????????? :(

[BeerBaron]

Oher WILL NOT fall past the Bears. He goes 18 at the absolute latest. Losing out on St. Clair in free agency means we have only 1 true OT under contract right now and Oher plus Chris Williams will hopefully give us a GREAT tackle tandem headed forward.

WILL NOT pass on Oher.

[Bucimal Island]

very bad bucs draft. we just signed derrick ward so we could take care of our rb need. peria jerry or the best WR is better pick. here we are wasting.

[msealy2]

With the Vikings adding some depth to the secondary during free agency and having Michael Oher and Eben Britton still available, I would be surprised if they draft a CB because they now have a bigger hole at RT than in the secondary. Oher and Britton would be better picks and fit a need better in my opinion.

[MockyBalboa]

100% sure rajii will not be picked first lol. decent patriots pick tho

lol why not? Think about it. If they pass on Stafford (this is obviously the biggest obstacle for Raji here), they can get a Linebacker (Maualuga) or Tackle (Oher, Britton, Beatty) at #20 (although I don't have them taking one). They can't get a leader to build around on that Defensive Line. Like I said, if Schwartz wasn't there, I probably wouldn't of did it. Not only did he experience Albert Haynesworth, but he also saw that you don't need a top pick (Vince Young) to get far (Kerry Collins).

[MockyBalboa]

too early on ayers if you ask me.

mathews over cushing is very surprising.

cant imagine oher falling to 32.

nice try being creative with raji at #1 but very unlikely.

Like fellow Volunteer Jerod Mayo, I see Ayers rising up the boards. Come mid April when Kiper's mocks are all over ESPN, people won't see this as a reach.

[MockyBalboa]

Cushing>matthews




Cushing is better than Matthews. I agree. But so are a lot of players that New England pass on, to bring in that better fit. Which works. I'm projecting that Matthews is that guy for them.

[MockyBalboa]

With the Vikings adding some depth to the secondary during free agency and having Michael Oher and Eben Britton still available, I would be surprised if they draft a CB because they now have a bigger hole at RT than in the secondary. Oher and Britton would be better picks and fit a need better in my opinion.

Probably not what you want to hear, but Max Unger was my second choice for Minnesota. Over both Britton and Oher.

[BmoreBlackByrdz]

Interesting top 5. Raji to Detriot makes tons of sense but I just don't think its gonna happen. Also, I can't see Kansas City passing on Curry, yeah I know Cassel will probably need more weapons but a player like Curry comes around once or twice every decade and I just can't see them passing on him. Defense wins championships and I'd take a defensive playmaker over an offensive playmaker anyday, not to mention, Curry is a much more safer pick and has more value at #3.
I also can't see Oher falling to #32, shoot, maybe the Ravens would take him.

[Strongside]

I severely doubt he'll make it to our pick but I would love it if he did. Oher at 32 would be an absolute steal

[marshallb]

If the Vikings don't pick Oher, there are going to be a lot of pissed Vikings fans. He has to be the pick. We have resigned a couple of our own CBs and have signed Paymah. We haven't gotten any O-linemen this offseason and have lost Birk, plus RT was a huge need all last season.

[MockyBalboa]

If the Vikings don't pick Oher, there are going to be a lot of pissed Vikings fans. He has to be the pick. We have resigned a couple of our own CBs and have signed Paymah. We haven't gotten any O-linemen this offseason and have lost Birk, plus RT was a huge need all last season.

I had a tough time with the Vikings. I had Max Unger at first due to his versatility. But Sean Smith is right there with Malcolm Jenkins as that next shut down Defensive Back that Minnesota craves, and are use to. I'm prediciting that come closer to the draft, people will become more comfortable with the thought of Smith in the first, seeing it a lot more often in mocks.

[MockyBalboa]

I severely doubt he'll make it to our pick but I would love it if he did. Oher at 32 would be an absolute steal


I'm getting reports that he's dropping fast, right there with Tyson Jackson. Don't ask me why. I hope it's because these two "names" have been around longer, dating back to last season, while the new prospects are the flavors of the month.

[thebow305]

Wow, Laurinaitis + Miami = EPIC FAIL

If you don't know why, you have no business making mocks.

[bucs-buffs-avs]

Very bad Bucs pick. They just signed Derrick Ward, who will go great with Earnest Graham, and they have holes all over the place.

Alphonso Smith, Peria Jerry, Sean Smith, Kenny Britt, and Brian Cushing are all much better Bucs picks.

[Seasonticketholder]

14. New Orleans Saints – Vontae Davis CB Illinois

*Disclaimer: This is what I think the actual teams, not the fans, would do. i.e. I'm quite aware that there will be a good amount of upset Lions fans on draft day if they went this route.

The Saints won't take Vontae Davis. And it has nothing to do with my own feelings on the matter, though I can tell you I would not take him either. The Saints will take either Malcolm Jenkins or Chris Wells. Bank on it! Aaron Maybin might actually be a longshot.

[BaLLiN]

decent giants pick

[Pitt]

Wow, Laurinaitis + Miami = EPIC FAIL

If you don't know why, you have no business making mocks.

This is why I hate posting mocks on forums. Dumb a$s comments like this.

Laurinaitis on Dolphins' radar at No. 25
February 21, 2009 4:15 PM
Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Graham
Bob Donnan/US Presswire
Ohio State linebacker James Laurinaitis could be there for the Dolphins with the 25th pick.

INDIANAPOLIS -- Ohio State linebacker James Laurinaitis probably might have been a top-five draft pick had he followed through with his inclination to turn pro after his junior year.

He returned to the Buckeyes, and his projection slid to the bottom third of the first round.

That's good news for the Miami Dolphins, who likely will be in the market for an inside linebacker. They're not interested in re-signing unrestricted free agent Channing Crowder.

ESPN draft analyst Todd McShay's latest mockup has the Dolphins selecting Laurinaitis with the 25th pick.

Laurinaitis is rated either No. 1 or No. 2 at the position depending on the draft guru making the projection. Scouts Inc. rates him the 24th-best player in the draft.

Laurinaitis is scheduled to meet with the Dolphins on Saturday night at the NFL scouting combine here in Indianapolis.

Just because he didn't give you Maualuga, doesn't mean you need to throw a hissy fit. And that "EPIC FAIL" sh*t is played out.

[the decider13]

I would be content with getting Orakpo. I don't have a good feeling about him, but his athleticism is too good to pass on at #12

[Menardo75]

The Niners pick should be Everette Brown now that Alex Smith is back.