Swiss' final mock draft 2009

[Swiss Cheezhead]

1. DET – QB Matthew Stafford (Georgia)

They Lions goal is to convince their players and fans that things are going to change. The most effective way to do that is to draft a franchise QB. It helps that Stafford has the mind and body to succeed in the NFL.

 

2. STL – OT Eugene Monroe (Virginia)

This kid has been a solid NFL prospect for years and, in many ways, he’s the safest of all the O-line prospects. Something to note: Branden Albert immediately started at LT for an NFL franchise last year (and played pretty well), but he was never able to move Monroe out of the LT spot at Virginia. More importantly, his college coaching staff has endorsed Monroe and his questionable knee in NFL circles.

 

3. KCC – DE Tyson Jackson (Louisiana State)

Surprise? Most “insiders” at this point don’t think so (Nawrocki and now Kiper both have Jackson going #3). I think this decision will be fairly difficult for Pioli, but this is his first pick as the KC GM -- he needs to hit a line-drive, not swing for the fences. For a 3-4 scheme, Jackson has the least amount of bust potential of any player in the draft. He’s a good example of a kid who did everything the LSU defensive scheme asked of him, but most people believe he’ll be a better pro than he was a college player. Pioli looks at him, sees Ty Warren, and smiles.

 

4. SEA – OT Jason Smith (Baylor)

The Sanchez rumors were a big smokescreen, but they didn’t succeed in convincing a team to trade up (either ahead of Seattle, pushing one of their players down a spot, or up to #4) – of course, the teams who might be interested in Sanchez don’t have enough ammo to trade up to #4. Instead, Seattle gets a player who could end up being the best player in the class. Jason Smith is a hard worker who wants to be great; Walter Jones can help him do that, and the Seahawks will maintain their greatest positional strength for the foreseeable future.

 

5. CLE – CB Malcolm Jenkins (Ohio State)

Look at Cleveland’s defensive backs behind Eric Wright. Then look at Jenkins' game tape. Then ignore his only “decent” 40 time and look at all the OTHER measurables – his numbers in agility/burst drills were incredible. He is the real deal, and he has the versatility to help Mangini’s defense in several different ways.

 

6. CIN – WR Michael Crabtree (Texas Tech)

Whether Ocho Cinco stays in Cincy this year or not, he won’t be around in the long term. Both he and Laveranues Coles are playing the “back 9,” and the receivers the Bengals drafted last year didn’t make anyone feel great about their potential to be surefire NFL starters. Crabtree is the BPA and fills a big need for Cincinnati and Carson Palmer.

 

7. OAK – OT Andre Smith (Alabama)

Al Davis very rarely takes receivers in the first round; the last time he did it was in 1988, with Tim Brown. He prefers to take big men with higher picks, and he would LOVE to add a great talent like Andre Smith to his O-line mix. Tom Cable, who has gained Davis’ trust in recent months, would be absolutely begging Al to take Smith.

 

8. NYJ (via JAC) – QB Mark Sanchez (Southern California)

Sanchez has the media unflappability of Eli Manning and the on-field overt competitiveness of Tom Brady. He’s the perfect QB-of-the-future for this “restarting” New York team. They have enough other pieces to win some games this year and still let Sanchez be the backup in 2009.

 

9. GBP – DE Brian Orakpo (Texas)

This one feels like full circle to me – Orakpo is the guy I was hoping the Packers could get at #9 back after they announced the Dom Capers hire. This scenario would really test Ted Thompson’s BPA discipline; most people would believe that Aaron Curry is the “better” player, but the Packers have absolutely no need for him. I’m sure Teddy would just say Orakpo was the best player available “for our scheme.”

 

10. SFF – WR Jeremy Maclin (Missouri)

McCloughan is looking for a player who can make an immediate impact, and there are only a handful of players every year who can do that in two phases of the game. Maclin is a surefire NFL playmaker. He might never be Steve Smith winning the “triple crown,” but he’s a kid who might translate into one or two more wins this season.

 

11. BUF – OT Michael Oher (Mississippi)

I believe this pick would be a no-brainer for Buffalo. OT is a MUCH bigger need than any other position on their team – it’s not even close. The general consensus is that Oher is the last of the first-tier OTs in this class, so the Bills would be happy to take him off the board.

 

12. DEN – LB Aaron Curry (Wake Forest)

This is the kind of pick that even Josh McDaniels can’t screw up. Reasons: #1. Curry would give the Broncos a building block for their defense which is still a couple of years away from being a true “30” front. #2. The money at #12 is about perfect for a player of Curry’s position and skill set. #3. If McDaniels passed on Curry, he would be absolutely crucified in the local media; it would go down as another idiotic mistake made by an inexperienced head coach. As Curry cruises on to be an immediate and good NFL starter, it would just make McDaniels’ life miserable. I feel pretty good that if the Broncos don’t go up to get Sanchez, they’ll end up with Curry.

 

13. WAS – DE Robert Ayers (Tennessee)

The Redskins don’t need a quarterback, and they definitely don’t need another right end. Jason Taylor left the team after he told Dan Snyder he hated being a right end playing on the left side. Ayers is a perfect fit for them – somebody who can line up and take on a right tackle and tight end at the same time. Mayock is actually on record saying Ayers will be the best defensive player taken in this draft.

 

14. NOS – DT B.J. Raji (Boston College)

Raji would be the yin to Sedrick Ellis’ yang. The Saints would get a massive, two-down run-stopper, and everybody on the defense would get better by default.

 

15. HOU – LB Clay Matthews (Southern California)

No offense to Zia, but he’s one of two Texans I really trust on, well, the Texans. The other is John McClain, and he feels pretty certain that Houston will take one of the USC OLBs. My bet (and his) is that they take Matthews, because of his pass-rushing skills…and because his uncle Bruce just joined the Texans coaching staff.

 

16. TBB (via SDC) – QB Josh Freeman (Kansas State)

I think the Bucs have liked Freeman all along, and at this point they’ll want to get ahead of Jacksonville and Denver to grab the last legit franchise QB in the draft. Leftwich and McCown can hold down the starter’s spot for a year or two, and at that point, Tampa can proceed with their big, mobile, cannon-armed, NFL-ready quarterback.

 

17. JAC (via NYJ) – DT Peria Jerry (Mississippi)

Rob Meier is not a starting-quality D-tackle, which was made painfully obvious by the Jags’ defensive fall from grace last year. Jerry doesn’t take plays off and would immediately play in the rotation; that would keep the rest of the linemen fresher (like Meier, who plays MUCH better with fewer snaps) and allow their young pass-rushers to flourish.

 

18. DEN – RB Knowshon Moreno (Georgia)

Nobody on the roster is even a potential RB-of-the-future for Denver. Buckhalter is 30. Torain is recovering from an injury and doesn’t seem to fit McDaniels’ offense. Moreno is a durable, multi-skilled workhorse. Denver might be tempted by Beanie Wells, but McDaniels has plenty of experience with another talented runner with questionable toughness and a propensity for injury.

 

19. SDC (via TBB) – RB Chris Wells (Ohio State)

A.J. Smith knows one thing – his rushing offense, which had ranked in the top 10 for six consecutive years (2002-2007), dropped to 20th last year. He can’t afford to just hope that LT’s off year was a product of a nagging injury. He can’t afford to just hope LT won’t get hurt again. He also can’t be delusional and believe that LT will still be productive 3-4 years from now, when the rest of the offense is still within their SuperBowl window.

 

20. DET – LB Rey Maualuga (Southern California)

This would be a dream scenario for Jim Schwartz. There’s no way Jordon Dizon is big enough to play MLB in the new defense, which probably makes that position the team’s greatest defensive need. Sure, he’d probably play only first and second downs – at least until Peterson is too old – but he’s the kind of thumper who will make sure it’s 3rd-and-long before he jogs off the field. He’s an ubersafe pick, which would be a pleasant departure for Detroit fans.

 

21. PHI – TE Brandon Pettigrew (Oklahoma State)

I’d say there’s about a 40% chance this pick will belong to Arizona, mostly because it makes too much sense for Philly to trade for Boldin. Then again, some reports suggest the Cards might accept a 2nd-rounder (plus something else) in lieu of a 1st. Either way, if the Eagles still own this pick and Pettigrew is on the board, Reid will be swayed by the TE’s ability to make an immediate impact – both in the running and passing games.

 

22. MIN – OT Eben Britton (Arizona)

I don’t buy the Percy Harvin interest at all. More likely, Childress started seeing too many people projecting Britton at #22 and decided he needed to throw a few smokescreens. The Vikings really don’t need a receiver – Berrian, Rice and Wade are a decent trio. On the other hand, Britton will allow the team to get better at two spots; he’ll immediately start at RT and allow Ryan Cook to move to center. The O-line will be complete again.

 

23. NEP – DE Aaron Maybin (Pennsylvania State)

Some folks – plenty of them more knowledgeable than I am – believe Maybin will go in the top half of the round. I highly doubt that. He’s literally not the same amazing player in a Penn State uniform you’ve seen screaming around offensive tackles. He weighed about 220 pounds when he played his last collegiate game, and he’s packed on 30 pounds since then. Wonder why he ran a 4.9 forty? He’s now a total enigma to most teams. Coaches don’t believe he’s the type of player who can just jump into any scheme, pin his ears back and pressure the QB. He does, however, possess naturally long arms and a rare talent for using balance and leverage. So, even if he’s no longer a superfast edge rusher, he’s definitely the kind of player Bill Belichick can make famous as a 3-4 OLB.

 

24. ATL – CB Vontae Davis (Illinois)

Atlanta desperately needs help in the secondary. I personally like Darius Butler more than Davis, but the Falcons have plenty of tiny CBs. Their #1 corner, Chris Houston, weighs 175 pounds. The other four CBs projected to make the team all weigh 185 pounds or less. Davis has good size (nearly 6 feet tall and 200 lbs.), which would give the Falcons some matchup leeway. He also might just turn into a very good cover man.

 

25. MIA – LB Brian Cushing (Southern California)

Sure, Miami needs a wideout, but it’s a little too high for Kenny Britt, and the rest of the prospects can’t really do anything that Teddy Ginn can’t do. Cushing is just a natural football player. He can shed, he can tackle, he can blitz and he can cover. With his ability to play any of the three 3-4 LB spots, he’d present excellent value for Parcells, Ireland, et al., at 25.

 

26. BAL – WR Darrius Heyward-Bey (Maryland)

I’m not a fan of this dude, but I guarantee Ozzie Newsome is absolutely anxious to add a receiver who can actually run routes deep enough to utilize Joe Flacco’s huge arm. Heyward-Bey is the best candidate to do that. This pick, if they don’t trade it for a veteran receiver, is about as close to a lock as you can get.

 

27. IND – OC Alex Mack (California)

I have a lot of respect for Bill Polian, and I usually agree wholeheartedly with his first-round picks. This one would be another excellent decision by arguably the best decision-maker in the business. Jeff Saturday will be hard to replace and even harder if they don’t let him groom his replacement before he retires. With very few other needs, I think Polian drafts the guy who will be responsible for handling Peyton’s crazy audibles in 2010.

 

28. BUF – DE Everette Brown (Florida State)

He’s too risky to take in the top 15, but he’s too talented to fall much further than this. With Schobel on the other side, along with Kelsay/Denney spelling him on obvious run downs, Brown should be able to focus on pure pass rushing early in his career.

 

29. CLE (via NYG) – WR Kenny Britt (Rutgers)

If he gets his head on straight, Britt could end up being the most productive, defense-altering WR in this year’s draft class. If Cleveland really does trade Braylon Edwards, I think they’d feel pretty good about getting this potentially dominant #1 WR late in the 1st.

 

30. TEN – LB James Laurinaitis (Ohio State)

Neither Stephen Tulloch nor Ryan Fowler have been impressive in the middle, and I don’t think the Titans could pass up such an NFL-ready, safe, hard-working defender here. With Jovan Haye and Jason Jones filling in for the departed Haynesworth, the addition of Laurinaitis could actually make Tennessee’s defense better than it was last year.

 

31. ARI – LB Clint Sintim (Virginia)

With the losses of Calvin Pace last year and Antonio Smith this year, the Cardinals need to replenish their pass rush. Sintim has a few flaws, but he’s an excellent fit for a hybrid 3-4 defense like Arizona plans to keep in place.

 

32. PIT – OC Max Unger (Oregon)

It’s no secret that the Steelers O-line has had issues in the last couple of years, and more specifically, they learned that Justin Hartwig is not the answer at center. Their defense is completely set for at least another few years, so they need to focus foremost on protecting their young, SuperBowl quarterback. Alex Mack might have been born to be a Steeler – he even LOOKS like Jeff Hartings. 

Edited April 25, 2009 by Swiss Cheezhead

[Mr Hammock]

1. DET – QB Matthew Stafford (Georgia)

They Lions goal is to convince their players and fans that things are going to change. The most effective way to do that is to draft a franchise QB. It helps that Stafford has the mind and body to succeed in the NFL.

 

2. STL – OT Eugene Monroe (Virginia)

This kid has been a solid NFL prospect for years and, in many ways, he’s the safest of all the O-line prospects. Something to note: Branden Albert immediately started at LT for an NFL franchise last year (and played pretty well), but he was never able to move Monroe out of the LT spot at Virginia. More importantly, his college coaching staff has endorsed Monroe and his questionable knee in NFL circles.

 

3. KCC – DE Tyson Jackson (Louisiana State)

Surprise? Most “insiders” at this point don’t think so (Nawrocki and now Kiper both have Jackson going #3). I think this decision will be fairly difficult for Pioli, but this is his first pick as the KC GM -- he needs to hit a line-drive, not swing for the fences. For a 3-4 scheme, Jackson has the least amount of bust potential of any player in the draft. He’s a good example of a kid who did everything the LSU defensive scheme asked of him, but most people believe he’ll be a better pro than he was a college player. Pioli looks at him, sees Ty Warren, and smiles.

 

4. SEA – OT Jason Smith (Baylor)

The Sanchez rumors were a big smokescreen, but they didn’t succeed in convincing a team to trade up (either ahead of Seattle, pushing one of their players down a spot, or up to #4) – of course, the teams who might be interested in Sanchez don’t have enough ammo to trade up to #4. Instead, Seattle gets a player who could end up being the best player in the class. Jason Smith is a hard worker who wants to be great; Walter Jones can help him do that, and the Seahawks will maintain their greatest positional strength for the foreseeable future.

 

5. CLE – CB Malcolm Jenkins (Ohio State)

Look at Cleveland’s defensive backs behind Eric Wright. Then look at Jenkins' game tape. Then ignore his only “decent” 40 time and look at all the OTHER measurables – his numbers in agility/burst drills were incredible. He is the real deal, and he has the versatility to help Mangini’s defense in several different ways.

 

6. CIN – WR Michael Crabtree (Texas Tech)

Whether Ocho Cinco stays in Cincy this year or not, he won’t be around in the long term. Both he and Laveranues Coles are playing the “back 9,” and the receivers the Bengals drafted last year didn’t make anyone feel great about their potential to be surefire NFL starters. Crabtree is the BPA and fills a big need for Cincinnati and Carson Palmer.

 

7. OAK – OT Andre Smith (Alabama)

Al Davis very rarely takes receivers in the first round; the last time he did it was in 1988, with Tim Brown. He prefers to take big men with higher picks, and he would LOVE to add a great talent like Andre Smith to his O-line mix. Tom Cable, who has gained Davis’ trust in recent months, would be absolutely begging Al to take Smith.

 

8. NYJ (via JAC) – QB Mark Sanchez (Southern California)

Sanchez has the media unflappability of Eli Manning and the on-field overt competitiveness of Tom Brady. He’s the perfect QB-of-the-future for this “restarting” New York team. They have enough other pieces to win some games this year and still let Sanchez be the backup in 2009.

 

9. GBP – DE Brian Orakpo (Texas)

This one feels like full circle to me – Orakpo is the guy I was hoping the Packers could get at #9 back after they announced the Dom Capers hire. This scenario would really test Ted Thompson’s BPA discipline; most people would believe that Aaron Curry is the “better” player, but the Packers have absolutely no need for him. I’m sure Teddy would just say Orakpo was the best player available “for our scheme.”

 

10. SFF – WR Jeremy Maclin (Missouri)

McCloughan is looking for a player who can make an immediate impact, and there are only a handful of players every year who can do that in two phases of the game. Maclin is a surefire NFL playmaker. He might never be Steve Smith winning the “triple crown,” but he’s a kid who might translate into one or two more wins this season.

 

11. BUF – OT Michael Oher (Mississippi)

I believe this pick would be a no-brainer for Buffalo. OT is a MUCH bigger need than any other position on their team – it’s not even close. The general consensus is that Oher is the last of the first-tier OTs in this class, so the Bills would be happy to take him off the board.

 

12. DEN – LB Aaron Curry (Wake Forest)

This is the kind of pick that even Josh McDaniels can’t screw up. Reasons: #1. Curry would give the Broncos a building block for their defense which is still a couple of years away from being a true “30” front. #2. The money at #12 is about perfect for a player of Curry’s position and skill set. #3. If McDaniels passed on Curry, he would be absolutely crucified in the local media; it would go down as another idiotic mistake made by an inexperienced head coach. As Curry cruises on to be an immediate and good NFL starter, it would just make McDaniels’ life miserable. I feel pretty good that if the Broncos don’t go up to get Sanchez, they’ll end up with Curry.

 

13. WAS – DE Robert Ayers (Tennessee)

The Redskins don’t need a quarterback, and they definitely don’t need another right end. Jason Taylor left the team after he told Dan Snyder he hated being a right end playing on the left side. Ayers is a perfect fit for them – somebody who can line up and take on a right tackle and tight end at the same time. Mayock is actually on record saying Ayers will be the best defensive player taken in this draft.

 

14. NOS – DT B.J. Raji (Boston College)

Raji would be the yin to Sedrick Ellis’ yang. The Saints would get a massive, two-down run-stopper, and everybody on the defense would get better by default.

 

15. HOU – LB Clay Matthews (Southern California)

No offense to Zia, but he’s one of two Texans I really trust on, well, the Texans. The other is John McClain, and he feels pretty certain that Houston will take one of the USC OLBs. My bet (and his) is that they take Matthews, because of his pass-rushing skills…and because his uncle Bruce just joined the Texans coaching staff.

 

16. TBB (via SDC) – QB Josh Freeman (Kansas State)

I think the Bucs have liked Freeman all along, and at this point they’ll want to get ahead of Jacksonville and Denver to grab the last legit franchise QB in the draft. Leftwich and McCown can hold down the starter’s spot for a year or two, and at that point, Tampa can proceed with their big, mobile, cannon-armed, NFL-ready quarterback.

 

17. JAC (via NYJ) – DT Peria Jerry (Mississippi)

Rob Meier is not a starting-quality D-tackle, which was made painfully obvious by the Jags’ defensive fall from grace last year. Jerry doesn’t take plays off and would immediately play in the rotation; that would keep the rest of the linemen fresher (like Meier, who plays MUCH better with fewer snaps) and allow their young pass-rushers to flourish.

 

18. DEN – RB Knowshon Moreno (Georgia)

Nobody on the roster is even a potential RB-of-the-future for Denver. Buckhalter is 30. Torain is recovering from an injury and doesn’t seem to fit McDaniels’ offense. Moreno is a durable, multi-skilled workhorse. Denver might be tempted by Beanie Wells, but McDaniels has plenty of experience with another talented runner with questionable toughness and a propensity for injury.

 

19. SDC (via TBB) – RB Chris Wells (Ohio State)

A.J. Smith knows one thing – his rushing offense, which had ranked in the top 10 for six consecutive years (2002-2007), dropped to 20th last year. He can’t afford to just hope that LT’s off year was a product of a nagging injury. He can’t afford to just hope LT won’t get hurt again. He also can’t be delusional and believe that LT will still be productive 3-4 years from now, when the rest of the offense is still within their SuperBowl window.

 

20. DET – LB Rey Maualuga (Southern California)

This would be a dream scenario for Jim Schwartz. There’s no way Jordon Dizon is big enough to play MLB in the new defense, which probably makes that position the team’s greatest defensive need. Sure, he’d probably play only first and second downs – at least until Peterson is too old – but he’s the kind of thumper who will make sure it’s 3rd-and-long before he jogs off the field. He’s an ubersafe pick, which would be a pleasant departure for Detroit fans.

 

21. PHI – TE Brandon Pettigrew (Oklahoma State)

I’d say there’s about a 40% chance this pick will belong to Arizona, mostly because it makes too much sense for Philly to trade for Boldin. Then again, some reports suggest the Cards might accept a 2nd-rounder (plus something else) in lieu of a 1st. Either way, if the Eagles still own this pick and Pettigrew is on the board, Reid will be swayed by the TE’s ability to make an immediate impact – both in the running and passing games.

 

22. MIN – OT Eben Britton (Arizona)

I don’t buy the Percy Harvin interest at all. More likely, Childress started seeing too many people projecting Britton at #22 and decided he needed to throw a few smokescreens. The Vikings really don’t need a receiver – Berrian, Rice and Wade are a decent trio. On the other hand, Britton will allow the team to get better at two spots; he’ll immediately start at RT and allow Ryan Cook to move to center. The O-line will be complete again.

 

23. NEP – DE Aaron Maybin (Pennsylvania State)

Some folks – plenty of them more knowledgeable than I am – believe Maybin will go in the top half of the round. I highly doubt that. He’s literally not the same amazing player in a Penn State uniform you’ve seen screaming around offensive tackles. He weighed about 220 pounds when he played his last collegiate game, and he’s packed on 30 pounds since then. Wonder why he ran a 4.9 forty? He’s now a total enigma to most teams. Coaches don’t believe he’s the type of player who can just jump into any scheme, pin his ears back and pressure the QB. He does, however, possess naturally long arms and a rare talent for using balance and leverage. So, even if he’s no longer a superfast edge rusher, he’s definitely the kind of player Bill Belichick can make famous as a 3-4 OLB.

 

24. ATL – CB Vontae Davis (Illinois)

Atlanta desperately needs help in the secondary. I personally like Darius Butler more than Davis, but the Falcons have plenty of tiny CBs. Their #1 corner, Chris Houston, weighs 175 pounds. The other four CBs projected to make the team all weigh 185 pounds or less. Davis has good size (nearly 6 feet tall and 200 lbs.), which would give the Falcons some matchup leeway. He also might just turn into a very good cover man.

 

25. MIA – LB Brian Cushing (Southern California)

Sure, Miami needs a wideout, but it’s a little too high for Kenny Britt, and the rest of the prospects can’t really do anything that Teddy Ginn can’t do. Cushing is just a natural football player. He can shed, he can tackle, he can blitz and he can cover. With his ability to play any of the three 3-4 LB spots, he’d present excellent value for Parcells, Ireland, et al., at 25.

 

26. BAL – WR Darrius Heyward-Bey (Maryland)

I’m not a fan of this dude, but I guarantee Ozzie Newsome is absolutely anxious to add a receiver who can actually run routes deep enough to utilize Joe Flacco’s huge arm. Heyward-Bey is the best candidate to do that. This pick, if they don’t trade it for a veteran receiver, is about as close to a lock as you can get.

 

27. IND – OC Alex Mack (California)

I have a lot of respect for Bill Polian, and I usually agree wholeheartedly with his first-round picks. This one would be another excellent decision by arguably the best decision-maker in the business. Jeff Saturday will be hard to replace and even harder if they don’t let him groom his replacement before he retires. With very few other needs, I think Polian drafts the guy who will be responsible for handling Peyton’s crazy audibles in 2010.

 

28. BUF – DE Everette Brown (Florida State)

He’s too risky to take in the top 15, but he’s too talented to fall much further than this. With Schobel on the other side, along with Kelsay/Denney spelling him on obvious run downs, Brown should be able to focus on pure pass rushing early in his career.

 

29. CLE (via NYG) – WR Kenny Britt (Rutgers)

If he gets his head on straight, Britt could end up being the most productive, defense-altering WR in this year’s draft class. If Cleveland really does trade Braylon Edwards, I think they’d feel pretty good about getting this potentially dominant #1 WR late in the 1st.

 

30. TEN – LB James Laurinaitis (Ohio State)

Neither Stephen Tulloch nor Ryan Fowler have been impressive in the middle, and I don’t think the Titans could pass up such an NFL-ready, safe, hard-working defender here. With Jovan Haye and Jason Jones filling in for the departed Haynesworth, the addition of Laurinaitis could actually make Tennessee’s defense better than it was last year.

 

31. ARI – LB Clint Sintim (Virginia)

With the losses of Calvin Pace last year and Antonio Smith this year, the Cardinals need to replenish their pass rush. Sintim has a few flaws, but he’s an excellent fit for a hybrid 3-4 defense like Arizona plans to keep in place.

 

32. PIT – OC Max Unger (Oregon)

It’s no secret that the Steelers O-line has had issues in the last couple of years, and more specifically, they learned that Justin Hartwig is not the answer at center. Their defense is completely set for at least another few years, so they need to focus foremost on protecting their young, SuperBowl quarterback. Alex Mack might have been born to be a Steeler – he even LOOKS like Jeff Hartings. 

 

You sure that is what you are going into the draft with?

 

Okay...

 

I see that you copied Kiper on the Tyson Jackson pick. You know what is funny? I haven't seen one Kiper mock all year. I take that back, I did see his first 10 picks scroll across the bottom of the screen about an hour ago.

 

You know what I do see? I see that the Lions had a backup contract in place with Curry for the number one pick in the entire draft. This is a FACT. And now you expect for Curry to fall all the way to 12? I am not buying the smoke you did. It was tainted with something.

 

Really I think you are off on your tackles the most. I haven’t agreed with your top 3 offensive tackle picks in any mock I have seen you post. Just last week you had three offensive tackles in the first three picks. Now all of the sudden you change to Stafford being the overall pick. This is AFTER it was confirmed that he signed a deal. That’s integrity. I would understand if you had Stafford going first at any other time, but I don’t recall it. Anyway you get a cheap one there.

 

One thing that I have learned is to not change much on the last day and you have changed everything. I wonder what made you change your mind on so much.

 

Jenkins is not going to Cleveland at #5. They could trade back and get him between 10 and 15 though.

 

Orakpo to Green Bay is another Kiper pick I saw a little while ago. I have never seen you have that before today.

 

Don’t you know Kiper is usually only good for the first 3 or 4 picks and after that he hits a few more and that’s it?

 

BJ falling to 14? Did you drink the entire bottle?

 

Clay Mathews going to Houston? Didn’t you tell me they would not be drafting a LB because you admired and loved someone who posts here who is a homer and you know they would never steer you wrong? Where did all that mumbo jumbo go?

 

Do you really believe that Rey Maualuga is going to the Lions at 20? I mean come on. They just spent 41.7 million dollars in guaranteed money on a rookie quarterback and they have no offensive line. How stupid do you think they are? Put in an OT at 20 and Lock It Down!

 

Looks to me like you pretty much bought into everything you heard, except for your BFF who know everything about the Texans.

 

Our bet is still on and I won’t allow any changes from you as of right now for the bet to stay in effect. The cutoff time is here.

 

You talked all this game and look at this. Unbelievable.

 

Good Luck.

You are going to need a lot of it.

[Randall]

How come I don't get a stalker too?

[Swiss Cheezhead]

I see that you copied Kiper on the Tyson Jackson pick. You know what is funny? I haven't seen one Kiper mock all year. I take that back, I did see his first 10 picks scroll across the bottom of the screen about an hour ago.

 

Actually, I copied Nawrocki on the Tyson Jackson pick. I had him going #5 to Cleveland in my Thursday mock, but I kept hearing more and more chatter that the Chiefs were thinking about Jackson. It makes complete sense, and sources have been telling a respected guy like Nawrocki that it's a good bet. I haven't seen Kiper's latest mock, but someone here on the message boards mentioned that he also had Jackson going #3 (which probably means he's copying Nawrocki, too).

 

Really I think you are off on your tackles the most. I haven’t agreed with your top 3 offensive tackle picks in any mock I have seen you post. Just last week you had three offensive tackles in the first three picks. Now all of the sudden you change to Stafford being the overall pick. This is AFTER it was confirmed that he signed a deal. That’s integrity. I would understand if you had Stafford going first at any other time, but I don’t recall it. Anyway you get a cheap one there.

 

You're thinking of keggerz, dumbass. I've never had any doubt that Stafford would go #1. And keep the word "integrity" out of these debates -- that's just silly talk.

 

One thing that I have learned is to not change much on the last day and you have changed everything. I wonder what made you change your mind on so much.

 

Have you actually thought about that statement? If you change ONE pick early in the draft, it snowballs down the rest of the round, which means you have to change more than one pick. Simple.

 

Jenkins is not going to Cleveland at #5. They could trade back and get him between 10 and 15 though.

 

Orakpo to Green Bay is another Kiper pick I saw a little while ago. I have never seen you have that before today.

 

Don’t you know Kiper is usually only good for the first 3 or 4 picks and after that he hits a few more and that’s it?

 

BJ falling to 14? Did you drink the entire bottle?

 

Clay Mathews going to Houston? Didn’t you tell me they would not be drafting a LB because you admired and loved someone who posts here who is a homer and you know they would never steer you wrong? Where did all that mumbo jumbo go?

 

Do you really believe that Rey Maualuga is going to the Lions at 20? I mean come on. They just spent 41.7 million dollars in guaranteed money on a rookie quarterback and they have no offensive line. How stupid do you think they are? Put in an OT at 20 and Lock It Down!

 

"Jenkins is not going to Cleveland at #5" is not reasoning. Why don't you think so? You read my explanation -- give me your rationale for not liking the pick.

 

Orakpo has been slotted to Green Bay in SEVERAL mocks over the last several weeks. Do you really think I'm just trying to copy Kiper? I just tried to look up the latest Kiper mock, and you have to be an Insider to read it. So, if you've read it, please post it here and show me how eerily similar it is to mine. Or is it just two picks (#3 and #9)?

 

What makes you think Raji is going to go much higher than 14? Again, your criticism without any reasoning is useless.

 

Again, regarding Houston's pick, I think you're confusing me with keggerz. When Zia suggested they might take a CB, it was the first time I thought about it. And, honestly, I really believe Butler would be a better pick for that team. I gave them Matthews in this mock for one reason -- John McClain, who's been covering the Texans for the Houston Chronicle forever, has sources within the team and he believes he'll be the pick.

 

Yes, I believe the Lions would take Maualuga at 20. Then again, if Michael Oher is still available (as he inexplicably is in your final mock), then I'd agree with you -- they'd take the OT. In reality, though, the only tackles available for them at 20 will be guys like Loadholt, Britton, and Meredith. I don't think they'll reach for one of those guys. If you do, then you're more ignorant than I thought.

Edited April 25, 2009 by Swiss Cheezhead

[irish]

How come I don't get a stalker too?

 

Hammock is definitely a bit intense and over the top about this mock stuff. Don't get me wrong, I love the NFL Draft, doing mocks, the "start" of the new season and everything involving football/fantasy football, but it's like Hammock wants to get people in the octagon just for coming up with their own mocks.

[Do Work Son]

Hammock is definitely a bit intense and over the top about this mock stuff. Don't get me wrong, I love the NFL Draft, doing mocks, the "start" of the new season and everything involving football/fantasy football, but it's like Hammock wants to get people in the octagon just for coming up with their own mocks.

 

[Seahawks21]

In defense of Hammock, IMO these mocks are about one step up from Emmitt. Nothing personal, just my two cents, as a guy who has followed this draft pretty closely.

[Swiss Cheezhead]

In defense of Hammock, IMO these mocks are about one step up from Emmitt. Nothing personal, just my two cents, as a guy who has followed this draft pretty closely.

 

I'm still waiting for some solid reasoning why any one of my picks are so stupid that they're "one step up from Emmit." I'm not guaranteeing they're right, but at least offer some insight otherwise. Either question the actual talent of the player at a given spot or reference some indication of front-office preference that's incongruent with my predicted pick. Dropping unsupported criticism reminds me of little kids ringing a doorbell and running away.

Edited April 25, 2009 by Swiss Cheezhead

[keggerz]

1. DET – QB Matthew Stafford (Georgia)

They Lions goal is to convince their players and fans that things are going to change. The most effective way to do that is to draft a franchise QB. It helps that Stafford has the mind and body to succeed in the NFL.

 

2. STL – OT Eugene Monroe (Virginia)

This kid has been a solid NFL prospect for years and, in many ways, he’s the safest of all the O-line prospects. Something to note: Branden Albert immediately started at LT for an NFL franchise last year (and played pretty well), but he was never able to move Monroe out of the LT spot at Virginia. More importantly, his college coaching staff has endorsed Monroe and his questionable knee in NFL circles.

 

3. KCC – DE Tyson Jackson (Louisiana State)

Surprise? Most “insiders” at this point don’t think so (Nawrocki and now Kiper both have Jackson going #3). I think this decision will be fairly difficult for Pioli, but this is his first pick as the KC GM -- he needs to hit a line-drive, not swing for the fences. For a 3-4 scheme, Jackson has the least amount of bust potential of any player in the draft. He’s a good example of a kid who did everything the LSU defensive scheme asked of him, but most people believe he’ll be a better pro than he was a college player. Pioli looks at him, sees Ty Warren, and smiles.

 

4. SEA – OT Jason Smith (Baylor)

The Sanchez rumors were a big smokescreen, but they didn’t succeed in convincing a team to trade up (either ahead of Seattle, pushing one of their players down a spot, or up to #4) – of course, the teams who might be interested in Sanchez don’t have enough ammo to trade up to #4. Instead, Seattle gets a player who could end up being the best player in the class. Jason Smith is a hard worker who wants to be great; Walter Jones can help him do that, and the Seahawks will maintain their greatest positional strength for the foreseeable future.

 

5. CLE – CB Malcolm Jenkins (Ohio State)

Look at Cleveland’s defensive backs behind Eric Wright. Then look at Jenkins' game tape. Then ignore his only “decent” 40 time and look at all the OTHER measurables – his numbers in agility/burst drills were incredible. He is the real deal, and he has the versatility to help Mangini’s defense in several different ways.

 

6. CIN – WR Michael Crabtree (Texas Tech)

Whether Ocho Cinco stays in Cincy this year or not, he won’t be around in the long term. Both he and Laveranues Coles are playing the “back 9,” and the receivers the Bengals drafted last year didn’t make anyone feel great about their potential to be surefire NFL starters. Crabtree is the BPA and fills a big need for Cincinnati and Carson Palmer.

 

7. OAK – OT Andre Smith (Alabama)

Al Davis very rarely takes receivers in the first round; the last time he did it was in 1988, with Tim Brown. He prefers to take big men with higher picks, and he would LOVE to add a great talent like Andre Smith to his O-line mix. Tom Cable, who has gained Davis’ trust in recent months, would be absolutely begging Al to take Smith.

 

8. NYJ (via JAC) – QB Mark Sanchez (Southern California)

Sanchez has the media unflappability of Eli Manning and the on-field overt competitiveness of Tom Brady. He’s the perfect QB-of-the-future for this “restarting” New York team. They have enough other pieces to win some games this year and still let Sanchez be the backup in 2009.

 

9. GBP – DE Brian Orakpo (Texas)

This one feels like full circle to me – Orakpo is the guy I was hoping the Packers could get at #9 back after they announced the Dom Capers hire. This scenario would really test Ted Thompson’s BPA discipline; most people would believe that Aaron Curry is the “better” player, but the Packers have absolutely no need for him. I’m sure Teddy would just say Orakpo was the best player available “for our scheme.”

 

10. SFF – WR Jeremy Maclin (Missouri)

McCloughan is looking for a player who can make an immediate impact, and there are only a handful of players every year who can do that in two phases of the game. Maclin is a surefire NFL playmaker. He might never be Steve Smith winning the “triple crown,” but he’s a kid who might translate into one or two more wins this season.

 

11. BUF – OT Michael Oher (Mississippi)

I believe this pick would be a no-brainer for Buffalo. OT is a MUCH bigger need than any other position on their team – it’s not even close. The general consensus is that Oher is the last of the first-tier OTs in this class, so the Bills would be happy to take him off the board.

 

12. DEN – LB Aaron Curry (Wake Forest)

This is the kind of pick that even Josh McDaniels can’t screw up. Reasons: #1. Curry would give the Broncos a building block for their defense which is still a couple of years away from being a true “30” front. #2. The money at #12 is about perfect for a player of Curry’s position and skill set. #3. If McDaniels passed on Curry, he would be absolutely crucified in the local media; it would go down as another idiotic mistake made by an inexperienced head coach. As Curry cruises on to be an immediate and good NFL starter, it would just make McDaniels’ life miserable. I feel pretty good that if the Broncos don’t go up to get Sanchez, they’ll end up with Curry.

 

13. WAS – DE Robert Ayers (Tennessee)

The Redskins don’t need a quarterback, and they definitely don’t need another right end. Jason Taylor left the team after he told Dan Snyder he hated being a right end playing on the left side. Ayers is a perfect fit for them – somebody who can line up and take on a right tackle and tight end at the same time. Mayock is actually on record saying Ayers will be the best defensive player taken in this draft.

 

14. NOS – DT B.J. Raji (Boston College)

Raji would be the yin to Sedrick Ellis’ yang. The Saints would get a massive, two-down run-stopper, and everybody on the defense would get better by default.

 

15. HOU – LB Clay Matthews (Southern California)

No offense to Zia, but he’s one of two Texans I really trust on, well, the Texans. The other is John McClain, and he feels pretty certain that Houston will take one of the USC OLBs. My bet (and his) is that they take Matthews, because of his pass-rushing skills…and because his uncle Bruce just joined the Texans coaching staff.

16. TBB (via SDC) – QB Josh Freeman (Kansas State)

I think the Bucs have liked Freeman all along, and at this point they’ll want to get ahead of Jacksonville and Denver to grab the last legit franchise QB in the draft. Leftwich and McCown can hold down the starter’s spot for a year or two, and at that point, Tampa can proceed with their big, mobile, cannon-armed, NFL-ready quarterback.

 

17. JAC (via NYJ) – DT Peria Jerry (Mississippi)

Rob Meier is not a starting-quality D-tackle, which was made painfully obvious by the Jags’ defensive fall from grace last year. Jerry doesn’t take plays off and would immediately play in the rotation; that would keep the rest of the linemen fresher (like Meier, who plays MUCH better with fewer snaps) and allow their young pass-rushers to flourish.

 

18. DEN – RB Knowshon Moreno (Georgia)

Nobody on the roster is even a potential RB-of-the-future for Denver. Buckhalter is 30. Torain is recovering from an injury and doesn’t seem to fit McDaniels’ offense. Moreno is a durable, multi-skilled workhorse. Denver might be tempted by Beanie Wells, but McDaniels has plenty of experience with another talented runner with questionable toughness and a propensity for injury.

 

19. SDC (via TBB) – RB Chris Wells (Ohio State)

A.J. Smith knows one thing – his rushing offense, which had ranked in the top 10 for six consecutive years (2002-2007), dropped to 20th last year. He can’t afford to just hope that LT’s off year was a product of a nagging injury. He can’t afford to just hope LT won’t get hurt again. He also can’t be delusional and believe that LT will still be productive 3-4 years from now, when the rest of the offense is still within their SuperBowl window.

 

20. DET – LB Rey Maualuga (Southern California)

This would be a dream scenario for Jim Schwartz. There’s no way Jordon Dizon is big enough to play MLB in the new defense, which probably makes that position the team’s greatest defensive need. Sure, he’d probably play only first and second downs – at least until Peterson is too old – but he’s the kind of thumper who will make sure it’s 3rd-and-long before he jogs off the field. He’s an ubersafe pick, which would be a pleasant departure for Detroit fans.

 

21. PHI – TE Brandon Pettigrew (Oklahoma State)

I’d say there’s about a 40% chance this pick will belong to Arizona, mostly because it makes too much sense for Philly to trade for Boldin. Then again, some reports suggest the Cards might accept a 2nd-rounder (plus something else) in lieu of a 1st. Either way, if the Eagles still own this pick and Pettigrew is on the board, Reid will be swayed by the TE’s ability to make an immediate impact – both in the running and passing games.

 

22. MIN – OT Eben Britton (Arizona)

I don’t buy the Percy Harvin interest at all. More likely, Childress started seeing too many people projecting Britton at #22 and decided he needed to throw a few smokescreens. The Vikings really don’t need a receiver – Berrian, Rice and Wade are a decent trio. On the other hand, Britton will allow the team to get better at two spots; he’ll immediately start at RT and allow Ryan Cook to move to center. The O-line will be complete again.

 

23. NEP – DE Aaron Maybin (Pennsylvania State)

Some folks – plenty of them more knowledgeable than I am – believe Maybin will go in the top half of the round. I highly doubt that. He’s literally not the same amazing player in a Penn State uniform you’ve seen screaming around offensive tackles. He weighed about 220 pounds when he played his last collegiate game, and he’s packed on 30 pounds since then. Wonder why he ran a 4.9 forty? He’s now a total enigma to most teams. Coaches don’t believe he’s the type of player who can just jump into any scheme, pin his ears back and pressure the QB. He does, however, possess naturally long arms and a rare talent for using balance and leverage. So, even if he’s no longer a superfast edge rusher, he’s definitely the kind of player Bill Belichick can make famous as a 3-4 OLB.

 

24. ATL – CB Vontae Davis (Illinois)

Atlanta desperately needs help in the secondary. I personally like Darius Butler more than Davis, but the Falcons have plenty of tiny CBs. Their #1 corner, Chris Houston, weighs 175 pounds. The other four CBs projected to make the team all weigh 185 pounds or less. Davis has good size (nearly 6 feet tall and 200 lbs.), which would give the Falcons some matchup leeway. He also might just turn into a very good cover man.

 

25. MIA – LB Brian Cushing (Southern California)

Sure, Miami needs a wideout, but it’s a little too high for Kenny Britt, and the rest of the prospects can’t really do anything that Teddy Ginn can’t do. Cushing is just a natural football player. He can shed, he can tackle, he can blitz and he can cover. With his ability to play any of the three 3-4 LB spots, he’d present excellent value for Parcells, Ireland, et al., at 25.

 

26. BAL – WR Darrius Heyward-Bey (Maryland)

I’m not a fan of this dude, but I guarantee Ozzie Newsome is absolutely anxious to add a receiver who can actually run routes deep enough to utilize Joe Flacco’s huge arm. Heyward-Bey is the best candidate to do that. This pick, if they don’t trade it for a veteran receiver, is about as close to a lock as you can get.

 

27. IND – OC Alex Mack (California)

I have a lot of respect for Bill Polian, and I usually agree wholeheartedly with his first-round picks. This one would be another excellent decision by arguably the best decision-maker in the business. Jeff Saturday will be hard to replace and even harder if they don’t let him groom his replacement before he retires. With very few other needs, I think Polian drafts the guy who will be responsible for handling Peyton’s crazy audibles in 2010.

 

28. BUF – DE Everette Brown (Florida State)

He’s too risky to take in the top 15, but he’s too talented to fall much further than this. With Schobel on the other side, along with Kelsay/Denney spelling him on obvious run downs, Brown should be able to focus on pure pass rushing early in his career.

 

29. CLE (via NYG) – WR Kenny Britt (Rutgers)

If he gets his head on straight, Britt could end up being the most productive, defense-altering WR in this year’s draft class. If Cleveland really does trade Braylon Edwards, I think they’d feel pretty good about getting this potentially dominant #1 WR late in the 1st.

 

30. TEN – LB James Laurinaitis (Ohio State)

Neither Stephen Tulloch nor Ryan Fowler have been impressive in the middle, and I don’t think the Titans could pass up such an NFL-ready, safe, hard-working defender here. With Jovan Haye and Jason Jones filling in for the departed Haynesworth, the addition of Laurinaitis could actually make Tennessee’s defense better than it was last year.

 

31. ARI – LB Clint Sintim (Virginia)

With the losses of Calvin Pace last year and Antonio Smith this year, the Cardinals need to replenish their pass rush. Sintim has a few flaws, but he’s an excellent fit for a hybrid 3-4 defense like Arizona plans to keep in place.

 

32. PIT – OC Max Unger (Oregon)

It’s no secret that the Steelers O-line has had issues in the last couple of years, and more specifically, they learned that Justin Hartwig is not the answer at center. Their defense is completely set for at least another few years, so they need to focus foremost on protecting their young, SuperBowl quarterback. Alex Mack might have been born to be a Steeler – he even LOOKS like Jeff Hartings. 

looks like 2 right to the right teams at the correct draft slot (in BLUE)

and looks like 3 right to the right teams at the incorrect draft slot (in RED)

[Mr Hammock]

looks like 2 right to the right teams at the correct draft slot (in BLUE)

and looks like 3 right to the right teams at the incorrect draft slot (in RED)

 

 

I win!!!!

 

Yeah baby.