J's NFL mock draft 2009
(Updates for 4/21)
4/21: More updates out of this first round. With updates based on the Bills-Eagles trade of Jason Peters. MY LAST UPDATE BEFORE THE NFL DRAFT. Later rounds coming in a few days!
Round 1
1. Detroit Lions - Matthew Stafford - QB - Georgia
-No way the Lions don't choose Stafford, I expect them to have a deal in place very soon. With a new regime in the D, they have got to pick their guy right now. Stafford could be a great pick if you get some guys around him. I also am not buying the recent talk that Jason Smith will be the guy here. No knock on Smith, but the Lions would be foolish to not draft a QB they desperately need.
(others possible: Jason Smith-OT)
2. St. Louis Rams - Jason Smith - LT - Baylor
-**The Rams desperately need a lot of players to make them a decent squad. Orlando Pace is done so there's no question the Rams will choose a tackle: Smith has a huge upside and aleticism the Rams like. Note: (for those of you thinking the Rams need a QB, your out of luck until later in the draft, they locked up Bulger to that huge contract so they're hands are tied even if they loved Sanchez or Stafford)
(others possible: Monroe-OT)
3. Kansas City Chiefs - Aaron Curry - LB - Wake Forest
-**The state of Missouri's football teams haven't done anything for a long time. The Chiefs got their QB (Cassel). With their new administration, KC will go to the 3-4 this season. They need some playmakers to fit this new system and Curry can play on any defense on any team and is probably the best player in this draft.
(Others possible: nobody! i'm that sure of this pick)
4. Seattle Seahawks - Eugene Monroe - T - Virginia
-**I still believe Monroe is going to be the pick here. I guess a possible Sanchez drafting makes some sense, but how's Sanchez going to do when he is getting crushed time and time again by not having an O-line? The Seahawks SHOULD go with Monroe, but god knows there's plenty of moronic sexy picks that teams love.
(Others possible: Crabtree-WR, Sanchez-QB, J.Smith-OT)
5. Cleveland Browns - Mark Sanchez - QB - USC
-Those poor Brownies. Picked by many to win the AFC North this past season, their hatred rivals from Pittsburgh picked up Super Bowl #6 instead. Fat Romeo is gone and the Brownies (should be) upgrading their D. They apparently don't like Crabtree anymore and i firmly believe they will deal Quinn and get Mark Sanchez. Leave it to the Browns to just create needs
(others possible: Crabtree-WR, Raji-DT, Orakpo-DE/OLB)
6. Cincinnati Bengals - Andre Smith - T - Alabama
-**Really, the Bengals need a DT like BJ Raji here and it's still a possibility, but word is they're high on Andre Smith if Monroe is not there when they pick. I'm not really sure why since Smith has botched the entire draft process, but the Bengals have been known to make head-scratching moves and they really want an O-lineman to keep Carson Palmer from getting killed.
(others possible: Monroe-OT, Raji-DT)
7. Oakland Raiders - Jeremy Maclin - WR - Missouri
-**Ok, Al Davis is driving me crazy with this pick here. There's really no tougher pick to make in a mock draft then the Raiders. You just never know what Al is going to do. I do know that Jamarcus Russell needs some weapons to throw to and Maclin is an electric player with plenty of speed and Al "the walking corpse" Davis just loves players like that.
(Others possible: Orakpo-DE/OLB, Heyward-Bey-WR)
8. Jacksonville Jaguars - Michael Crabtree - WR - Texas Tech
-**If the Jags dont trade down here, it's got to be down to Raji-Maclin-Crabtree...Raji is gone and Crabtree fills another WR need
(Others possible: Maclin-WR, Sanchez-QB, Raji-DT)
9. Green Bay Packers - BJ Raji - DT - Boston College
-**The Pack just switched to a 3-4 defense this season: which means they need a good NT for the defense.
(Others possible: T.Jackson-DE, A.Smith-T)
10. San Francisco 49ers - Brian Orakpo - DE/OLB - Texas
-**The 49ers desperately need a pass rusher, taking a tackle like Oher is tempting here, but Orakpo is of nice value.
(Others possible: Oher-T, Raji-NT, Maybin-DE/OLB)
11. Buffalo Bills - Michael Oher - T - Ole Miss
-**With the trade of Jason Peters, the Bills get their guy here after San Fran passes on him.
(others possible: Orakpo-DE/OLB, A.Smith-T, Maybin-DE)
12. Denver Broncos - Tyson Jackson - DE - LSU
-**Denver needs help on the defensive side of the ball. Truthfully i don't believe they'll trade up for Sanchez. They were so soft against the run and Tyson Jackson is the best 3-4 DE run stopper in the draft.
(Others possible: E.Brown-DE/OLB, Raji-DT)
13. Washington Redskins - Aaron Maybin - DE - Penn st
-The Redskins could realistically trade up to land Sanchez, they've shown that draft picks don't mean that much to them. If they don't, they need another pass rushing specialist on the outside.
(Others possible: trade up, Oher-T, E.Brown-DE/OLB, Orakpo-DE/OLB)
If Washington trades with the Jaguars: Jaguars will select Jenkins
14. New Orleans Saints - Michael Jenkins - CB/S - Ohio st
-**The Saints could easily go RB here, but they've needed secondary help forever. Jenkins is the best player to fit that need.
(Others possible: C.Wells-RB)
15. Houston Texans - Clay Matthews - OLB - USC
-**The Texans i'm sure want to get out of this spot if they can, but right now seems unlikely. Another pass rushing OLB wouldn't hurt at all. Matthews has a great upside.
(Others possible: C.Wells-RB, E.Brown-DE/OLB)
16. San Diego Chargers - Knowshon Moreno - RB - Georgia
-**The Chargers do need an ILB, DE or maybe even a RT here, but it's very likely Darren Sproles will be gone after the season and LT is aging, they have no 2nd rounder so the time is now to draft that RB for the future.
(Others possible: T.Jackson-DE, Maualuga-ILB, Britton-T)
17. New York Jets - Chris Wells - RB - Ohio st
-**The crowd is sure going to be entertaining to watch if this is the case. If the Jets swing a deal for Brady Quinn, i imagine them choosing Chris Wells.
(Others possible: Moreno-RB, Wells-RB, Maclin-WR)
18. Denver Broncos - Everette Brown - DE/OLB - Florida st
-**More upgrades for Denver's soft D
(Others possible: Maualuga-ILB, English-DE/OLB)
19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Josh Freeman - QB - Kansas st
-**The Bucs need a QB to groom for a couple years. Tampa's a very good situation of Freeman. This is of course if the Jets don't get Freeman, in which case its Jerry-DT.
(Others possible: Jerry-DT, C.Matthews-OLB, E.Brown-DE/OLB)
20. Detriot Lions - Robert Ayers - DE - Tennessee
-A OT is definitely possible here, but the Lions with former Defensive coordinator now turned head coach Jim Schwartz, you know we wants to upgrade that D-line and run stopping ability. Ayers is of good value here.
(Others possible: Britton-T, Beatty-T)
21. Philadelphia Eagles - Brandon Pettigrew - TE - Oklahoma st
-**The Eagles would love Moreno here, and they do need a RB. But i have a hard time believing they like Wells in their west-coast offense. So Andy Reid more than likely will opt for a red-zone target Pettigrew, the best TE in the draft.
(Others possible: Moreno-RB, Ayers-DE)
22. Minnesota Vikings - Ebon Britton - T - Arizona
-**The Vikings need to upgrade their O-line, most specifically their Tackles. Britton hopefully fills the Vikes RT slot that has been poorus for so long.
(Others possible: Butler-CB, Davis-CB)
23. New England Patriots - Rey Maualuga - ILB - USC
-**Belicheat needs to continue to upgrade his aging D, Maualuga is too good to pass up at this point.
(Others possible: E.Brown-DE/OLB, M.Johnson-DE/OLB, English-DE/OLB)
24. Atlanta Falcons - Poria Jerry - DT - Ole Miss
-**The Falcons need to upgrade their D badly now that they have Tony Gonzalez. Jerry has to be their #1 guy now and they get him here.
(Others possible: Cushing-OLB, Butler-CB)
25. Miami Dolphins - Darius Butler - CB - Uconn
-**Secondary help for the Dolphins, who desperately need a quality young corner. Butler has seen his stock on the rise since the combine with his good 40 time and 44 inch vertical.
(Others possible: V.Davis-CB, Cushing-OLB, English-DE/OLB)
26. Baltimore Ravens - Darius Heyward-Bey - WR - Maryland
-**Every indication says that the Ravens go WR here. It's just a question of which one they like. Heyward-Bey's speed is hard to argue with.
(Others possible: Britt-WR, Nicks-WR)
27. Indianapolis Colts - Evander Hood - DT
-**The Colts would love to draft a WR here, but they need to draft a DT to plug up that run. I swear the only time in the past 10 years the Colts could stop the run was the 4 games in the 2006 playoffs.
(Others possible: Jerry-DT, Beatty-T, Nicks-WR, Britt-WR)
28. Buffalo Bills - Larry English - DE/OLB - Northern Illinois
-**The Bills have addressed their Tackle position, so they must go for a pass rusher now and that's exactly what English brings.
(Others possible: Cushing-OLB, M.Johnson-DE/OLB)
29. New York Giants - Kenny Britt - WR - Rutgers
-**If the Giants cannot obtain a WR in a trade (Boldin, Edwards), they'll take a WR here. They really have the picks to do so though so don't be shocked if this pick is for the Cardinals or Browns.
(Others possible: Nicks-WR)
30. Tennessee Titans - Brian Cushing - OLB - USC
-**The Titans need a young pass rusher or corner badly. Cushing is a great athlete who can learn under an aging Bullock.
(Others possible: V.Davis-CB, Butler-CB)
31. Arizona Cardinals - Donald Brown - RB - Uconn
-**The Cardinals have a disgruntled James starting who likely will be out in due time. Adding a young back like Brown here makes sense.
(Others possible: English-DE/OLB, M.Johnson-DE/OLB, Cushing-OLB, Mack-C)
32. Pittsburgh Steelers - Alex Mack - C - California
-**The champs likely will not pass on Alex Mack if he falls to them. They need some help at the O-line and Mack, maybe the best center prospect in a decade, would bolster their run game.
(Others possible: Hood-DT, V.Davis-CB, A.Smith-CB, Beatty-T)
