THE SIX KINGS Posted April 28, 2007 Share Posted April 28, 2007 (edited) By Mel Kiper Jr. ESPN.com NEW YORK -- With one day before the draft, most teams at this point know who they would like to take with their first-round pick. In my final first-round mock draft, I still have LSU QB JaMarcus Russell going first overall to the Oakland Raiders. Oakland passed on both Matt Leinart and Jay Cutler last year, putting the Raiders in the situation they're in now. Georgia Tech wide receiver Calvin Johnson will be the second overall pick, but to which team? I don't think Johnson -- the best player in the draft -- will be wearing a Detroit Lions uniform in 2007, but they also have to find a team willing to trade up for the pick. Tampa Bay is the most logical team to make a deal with because it wants Johnson, but don't be surprised if Atlanta tries to move up. What the Browns do with the third pick is pivotal. Right now I have them taking Wisconsin left tackle Joe Thomas, the Browns need someone who can be the face of the organization for years to come; however, they could very well take Oklahoma running back Adrian Peterson or Brady Quinn of Notre Dame. The Washington Redskins would like to trade out of the sixth pick, but will need to find a team that's willing to move up. If Quinn remains on the board when it's Washington's turn, teams in need of a quarterback might look to make a deal with Redskins. I have defensive tackle Amobi Okoye going to the Atlanta Falcons because of his relationship with coach Bobby Petrino, who he played for at Louisville. The Falcons also could look to go with Penn State tackle Levi Brown. One player whose stock is on the rise is Michigan linebacker David Harris, who may very well end up with the Buffalo Bills. Buffalo really likes Ole Miss linebacker Patrick Willis, but he will land with the San Francisco 49ers, who draft one spot ahead of the Bills. I have also heard that the New England Patriots love Harris and the Patriots hope he's still around toward the end of the first round. The Carolina Panthers, which in my last mock draft I had taking Miami tight end Greg Olsen, now appear to be leaning toward a safety like Florida's Reggie Nelson. Olsen then could fall to the New York Jets with the 25th pick, giving Chad Pennington a nice pass-catching tight end who can stretch the middle of the field. New England, which has two first-round picks, and the Chicago Bears (31st overall) might look to trade out of the first round with a team looking to take a quarterback like BYU's John Beck or Stanford's Trent Edwards. If both Beck and Edwards are still on the board after the first round, the Lions will take one of them with the second pick in the second round. 1.Oakland JaMarcus Russell QB LSU 2.Detroit Calvin Johnson WR Georgia Tech 3.Cleveland Joe Thomas OT Wisconsin 4.Tampa Bay Gaines Adams DE Clemson 5.Arizona Levi Brown OT Penn State 6.Washington LaRon Landry S LSU 7.Minnesota Adrian Peterson RB Oklahoma 8.Atlanta Amobi Okoye DT Louisville 9.Miami Brady Quinn QB Notre Dame 10.Houston Leon Hall CB Michigan 11.San Francisco Patrick Willis LB Ole Miss 12.Buffalo David Harris LB Michigan 13.St. Louis Jamaal Anderson DE Arkansas 14.Carolina Reggie Nelson S Florida 15.Pittsburgh Lawrence Timmons LB Florida State 16.Green Bay Marshawn Lynch RB California 17.Jacksonville Adam Carriker DE Nebraska 18.Cincinnati Darrelle Revis CB Pittsburgh 19.Tennessee Ted Ginn Jr. WR Ohio State 20.New York Giants Joe Staley OT Central Michigan 21.Denver Alan Branch DT Michigan 22.Dallas Aaron Ross CB Texas 23.Kansas City Justin Harrell DT Tennessee 24.New England Robert Meachem WR Tennessee 25.New York Jets Greg Olsen TE Miami 26.Philadelphia Brandon Meriweather S Miami 27.New Orleans Chris Houston CB Arkansas 28.New England Paul Posluszny LB Penn State 29.Baltimore Ben Grubbs OG Auburn 30.San Diego Dwayne Bowe WR LSU 31.Chicago Anthony Spencer DE Purdue 32.Indianapolis Jon Beason LB Miami Edited April 28, 2007 by THE SIX KINGS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ROYALWITCHEESE Posted April 28, 2007 Share Posted April 28, 2007 Kiper is an absolute joke! He's hitting at about 20% the last two drafts... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolverines Fan Posted April 28, 2007 Share Posted April 28, 2007 Kiper is an absolute joke! He's hitting at about 20% the last two drafts... From Profootballtalk.com. POSTED 11:28 p.m. EDT, April 27, 2007 MEL GETTING PUT OUT TO PASTURE? There's talk in league circles that the 2007 draft could be the swan song on ESPN for Mel Kiper, Jr. If true, it's ironic. Kiper helped make the draft into the event that it is. Now that the draft is bigger than Kiper ever could be, ESPN has plenty of other human assets who can do the job. They've been gradually working Todd McShay of Scouts, Inc. into the mix, and we've sensed some non-contrived tension between the old guard and the young turk when Bristol puts the pair in a split screen. A couple of years ago, Kiper and ESPN almost parted ways after Kiper's contract expired. We suspect that whatever occurred behind the scenes got both sides to the mindset that this contract would be the last one in a long relationship. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muggsy Posted April 28, 2007 Share Posted April 28, 2007 Maybe as a parting/thank you for years of service gift, ESPN will give him a lifetime supply of hairspray & gel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CarryTheRock Posted April 28, 2007 Share Posted April 28, 2007 So if he parts ways with ESPN will they then acknowledge the fact that he had Mike Williams at the top of his board? That tidbit seems to be lost but I have not forgotten and until the day I die I will work to make this man accountable for his actions. He has been pulling a snowjob on people for years. The only tihng I find interesting about the guy is when he tries to backpedal on draft day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
piratesownninjas Posted April 28, 2007 Share Posted April 28, 2007 I guess im the only one that likes Mel Kiper. I couldnt care less about his mocks, but I like his insight on players. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigTen Posted April 28, 2007 Share Posted April 28, 2007 Kiper is an absolute joke! He's hitting at about 20% the last two drafts... Maybe but he gets paid mucho $$$ for talking and speculating on what might happen. On this board we pay to do the same thing.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigTen Posted April 28, 2007 Share Posted April 28, 2007 I guess im the only one that likes Mel Kiper. I couldnt care less about his mocks, but I like his insight on players. He does know his stuff. He might be wrong a lot but he knows the players. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trots Posted April 28, 2007 Share Posted April 28, 2007 Mel Kiper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moneymakers Posted April 28, 2007 Share Posted April 28, 2007 Mel Kiper 1 OAK JaMarcus Russell 2 DET Calvin Johnson 3 CLE Joe Thomas 4 TB Gaines Adams so far 4 out of 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ebartender Posted April 28, 2007 Share Posted April 28, 2007 1 OAK JaMarcus Russell 2 DET Calvin Johnson 3 CLE Joe Thomas 4 TB Gaines Adams so far 4 out of 4 5 out of 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hugh 0ne Posted April 28, 2007 Share Posted April 28, 2007 About to go 9 for 9. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T_bone65 Posted April 28, 2007 Share Posted April 28, 2007 About to go 8 for 9. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
detlef Posted April 28, 2007 Share Posted April 28, 2007 So, where does Quinn end up now? This years Aaron Rodgers? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
detlef Posted April 28, 2007 Share Posted April 28, 2007 Freaking Texans!!!! I thought my Niners were going to end up with Akoye!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ziachild007 Posted April 28, 2007 Share Posted April 28, 2007 Freaking Texans!!!! I thought my Niners were going to end up with Akoye!!!!! I was afraid they would take Branch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
detlef Posted April 28, 2007 Share Posted April 28, 2007 I was afraid they would take Branch. Everyone was saying they were going to go CB and I'd almost penciled him in to us. Who's got the word on Willis? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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