Well the NFL Scouting Combine has come and gone and we all have a little glimpse in to these prospects and now have a better idea where they all might wind up.
From my last mock draft, you'll see one change right away. Andre Smith saw his draft stock drop the most out of any other player at the combine. His attitude is just not something you're going to want to add to the fold of an 0-16 team.
So where does Detroit go from here? More importantly, how do the comments made by the Buffalo Bills' brass affect who they select? Let's find out, in Mock Draft 2.0.
1) Detroit Lions - OT Jason Smith, Baylor "When I'm on the field, I take pride in physically assaulting somebody."
Now that's the attitude you want to build a franchise around. A franchise that's in dire need of something good to happen to it. In his press conference this week, head coach Jim Schwartz maybe hinted they were looking for someone to come in and help either the offensive or defensive line. Smith has the most upside, he's an upstanding person, and to me he's supplanted himself at the top of the big four of offensive tackles.
2) St. Louis Rams - OLB Aaron Curry, Wake Forest The safest pick in the draft, bar none. Curry is making it hard on the Lions to pass him up, but if and when they do, I think the Rams jump all over this guy. A natural born leader, always around the football, anticipates pass plays like no other, and always has a smile on his face. An overall win of a pick for the ever-improving Rams' defense.
3) Kansas City Chiefs - QB Matthew Stafford, Georgia Scott Pioli and the folks are going to get together to figure out if Tyler Thigpen is there guy going in to 2009. Ultimately, I just don't see that being the case. The Chiefs are very young in a lot of different areas, so it might be the perfect time to bring in the quarterback that best suits new head coach Todd Haley. So Stafford's the pick, but I think deep down the Chiefs may be hoping for Aaron Curry.
4) Seattle Seahawks - DT Busari Raji, Boston College Yes, I know he goes by the nickname 'B.J.', but I like the name Busari a whole lot more. What do the Seahawks do with this pick? Wide receiver was an issue last season, so maybe there. The offensive line is aging, too. But I think the Seahawks will end up picking a defensive tackle. It's one of their biggest needs, and quite frankly past Peria Jerry, there's a huge drop off in the position. With the wideouts working out as well as they did, I could see the Seahawks claiming one early in the second round. Maybe someone like Kenny Britt from Rutgers. Raji makes the most sense here.
5) Cleveland Browns - DE/OLB Brian Orakpo, Texas Never mind to Orakpo tweaking his hamstring this week, training camp is still a great deal of time away. Browns' fans will tell you the one area that needs improving is bringing down the quarterback, and Orakpo is the best DE/OLB prospect for a 3-4.
6) Cincinnati Bengals - OT Eugene Monroe, Virginia The Bengals' need a lot of help, but the first step has to be making sure Carson Palmer stays on the field the whole season. Monroe is a great left tackle to build a team around, and is dominating on film. Monroe and Oher are almost interchangeable to me as far as who the second best offensive tackle is this year.
7) Oakland Raiders - WR Michael Crabtree, Texas Tech If Crabtree is available at 7, I guarantee he will be an Oakland Raider. There's no doubt about it in my mind. An explosive player that can bring a big time target to the team, and help aiding JaMarcus Russell in his bid to be a competent starting quarterback in the NFL. If he's not on the board, I could see an offensive tackle being the pick,
8) Jacksonville Jaguars - OT Michael Oher, Mississippi I think they covet Monroe, but Oher's no slouch either. They have their choice of picking the top cornerback in the draft or taking an offensive tackle, but protecting the quarterback is way more of a need at the 8th pick.
9) Green Bay Packers - CB Malcolm Jenkins, Ohio State The Packers have a very nice tandem of starting cornerbacks, but Charles Woodson and Al Harris are getting up there in age. Combine that with a switch in defensive schemes, and that could signal Green Bay going for a corner. Offensive tackle, defensive tackle and an outside linebacker are needs as well.
10) San Francisco 49ers - DE/OLB Everette Brown, Florida State This pick remains the same from my last mock draft. The 49ers biggest need is a pass rushing outside linebacker that's also great against the run. They could also go with a cornerback or wide receiever here.
11) Buffalo Bills - DE Aaron Maybin, Penn State The Bills have a host of potential picks right here, but no real home run. Potentials including DE Tyson Jackson (LSU), OLB Brian Cushing (USC), ILB Rey Maualuga (USC), TE Brandon Pettigrew (Oklahoma State) and Maybin. I think if the Top 10 shakes down the way I have it, that leaves one of the top offensive tackles on the board (Andre Smith) along with the speedy wideout Jeremy Maclin (Missouri), and it puts the Bills' in a prime area for a trade down and picking up more value for their first round selection. Since the free agency period hasn't even started yet, I'm not going to project trades, but I think that could be the case here. If they do trade down, I'd look for Brandon Pettigrew or Brian Cushing to be the pick depending on how far they move down. In the second round options include DE Connor Barwin (Cincinnati), DE Robert Ayers (Tennessee) LB Gerald McRath (Southern Mississippi) and TE Shawn Nelson (Southern Mississippi).
12) Denver Broncos - ILB Rey Maualuga, USC Maualuga re-aggravated a hamstring injury during his time at the combine, but just like Orakpo, the season is a long ways away. The Broncos need impact players on defense, especially since they are transitioning to a 3-4 defensive scheme. They would prefer a defensive tackle, but it's a little bit too high of a spot for Peria Jerry (Mississippi). Maualuga is a tremendous talent.
13) Washington Redskins - OT Andre Smith, Alabama The fall for Smith ends here, because the Redskins will analyze this as taking a chance on a tremendous talent without too much of guaranteed money to that player. They're also in need of a defensive end or a defensive tackle, but there's rumblings the Redskins could be going after Albert Haynesworth.
14) New Orleans Saints - CB Vontae Davis, Illinois Another pick that remains the same. The Saints are vulnerable against the pass, and they need an impact cornerback in the worst way. Vontae Davis seems to be the perfect fit for exactly that.
15) Houston Texans - CB Alphonso Smith, Wake Forest The little guy with one of the biggest talents in the draft. The Texans are looking for a solid contribution from a corner other than Dunta Robinson, and Smith can be just that. The Texans are also looking for a nose tackle and a pass rushing outside linebacker to fit their 3-4.
16) San Diego Chargers - DE Tyson Jackson, LSU The one true 3-4 defensive end in the draft this year, and oddly enough that's a big need for the Chargers. They jump to the podium for this pick. Never mind all that running back talk.
17) New York Jets - WR Jeremy Maclin, Missouri I think Maclin will end up going higher than 17, but before free agency that's just how things shake out right now. He ran a 4.45 at the combine, but he's so much faster on the field. His run-after-catch ability is simply explosive.
18) Chicago Bears - DE Michael Johnson, Georgia Tech A super athlete with some big time measurements. At 6'6" 7/8 and 266 lbs., he ran a freakish 4.75. But the knock on him is whether or not he can get low enough to drive through the blockers. But at this point, his potential is too good to pass up at an area of need for Chicago.
19) Tampa Bay Buccaneers - DT Peria Jerry, Mississippi Tampa Bay could go in a number of different ways, having a need at cornerback and defensive end. But if they miss out on Albert Haynesworth, I think Jerry would be a solid fit right next to Chris Hovan.
20) Detroit Lions (from Dallas) - QB Mark Sanchez, USC The Lions' mentality coming in to the draft is they must get an automatic impact player at #1. The rest of the way, go for value picks that fit their positions of need. Sanchez slides a little bit, but with no real need at QB all the way until the 20th pick, he'll have an opportunity to get on the field early on in to his career.
21) Philadelphia Eagles - HB Knowshon Moreno, Georgia Although his 40-yard dash time was somewhat disappointing, there's no denying Moreno's on-field production at Georgia. Philadelphia gets a steal here.
22) Minnesota Vikings - WR Hakeem Nicks, North Carolina For all of you asking why Darrius Heyward-Bey isn't the pick here after running a 4.3 forty-yard dash, let me explain. Super fast athlete with questionable hands. Troy Williamson, anyone? I'm not likening Heyward-Bey to Williamson, but I still think the wounds haven't fully healed from that marriage. Nicks has an NFL-ready body with great hands.
23) New England Patriots - OLB Clint Sintim, Virginia A perfect fit for a 3-4 outside linebacker, because he played that exact role at Virginia. Knowing that type of defensive scheme will help ease Sintim in to making early contributions for the Pats.
24) Atlanta Falcons - CB Sean Smith, Utah A super athletic cornerback that has been slowly rising on draft boards. I think his solid week at the combine has taken him ahead of Vanderbilt's D.J. Moore. Smith measured in at 6'2".
25) Miami Dolphins - C Alex Mack, California After a solid year two seasons ago, Samson Satele has regressed to the point of necessary replacement. Mack wasn't able to work out at the combine, but he's still head and shoulders ahead of the rest of the centers in this draft class.
26) Baltimore Ravens - DE/OLB Larry English, Northern Illinois An intriguing prospect, but thought of as a 'tweener. But if there's one thing we know, it's that the Ravens have the ability to turn 'tweeners in to Pro Bowlers. All the talent is there for English, he just needs some coaching and repetition.
27) Indianapolis Colts - OLB Brian Cushing, USC I'm still unsure whether the Colts will re-sign Freddy Keiaho. If that's not the case, I think the Colts jump at an outside linebacker and grab a very intriguing Brian Cushing at 27. He's a workout warrior.
28) Philadelphia Eagles (from Carolina) - TE Brandon Pettigrew, Oklahoma State This is the appropriate range for Pettigrew to be selected. Really anywhere between 20 to 32 would be the best value slot to take Pettigrew. He's definitely the best tight end of the group, but the gap between he and the rest of the class has closed a little bit.
29) New York Giants - OLB Clay Matthews, USC The third USC linebacker taken in the first round. Quite an accomplishment for a school to have three first rounders, but the Trojans have three at the same position. Goodness. Matthews is a former walk-on that just has a knack for bringing pressure. A good fit here, but the Giants' could also look toward the offensive tackle position.
30) Tennessee Titans - WR Darrius Heyward-Bey, Maryland You get the sense from listening to Jeff Fisher that they want to bring in some playmakers at the wide receiver position. Heyward-Bey is able to stretch the field, and many of the corners from the ACC in this draft class called Heyward-Bey the best receiver they've gone up against. Again, he ran a 4.3 forty-yard dash.
31) Arizona Cardinals - HB Chris Wells, Ohio State I still have to think that Edgerrin James is jetting town. With that being the case, the Cardinals would really kick themselves for not drafting Chris Wells. A Wells/Hightower combination would be formidable as long as Wells could stay on the field. Injuries are the reason for his drop in to the latter half of the first round.
32) Pittsburgh Steelers - OT James Meredith, South Carolina Meredith has very quietly elevated himself in to a potential first rounder. He'll be battling with Eben Britton (Arizona) and William Beatty (Connecticut) for being the fifth tackle taken, but I think his impressive week will show his work ethic to the Steelers. And trust me, the Steelers need to bring in offensive tackles, even after they brought back Max Starks. Three out of their top four tackles will be free agents this week.
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