1. St Louis Rams- Sam Bradford/QB/Oklahoma: Coming into the combine at 6’4” and 236 LBS put his size questions aside. Since I’m writing this before his pro-day and the first time he throws in front of scouts since his A/C Joint surgery, Bradford still has a lot to prove to be the #1 pick, especially with Ndamukong Suh very deserving of this selection. Bradford’s drop-backs and arm strength will be surveyed during his pro-day and if all reports come back positive, I think he’ll be the #1 pick for the Rams, especially since nobody wants to see Keith Null (the great Ryan Leaf’s protégé by the way) or Kyle Boller play ever again.
2. Detroit Lions- Ndamukong Suh/DT/Nebraska: The Lions have really upgraded their front 4 this off season and by adding Suh, the Lions may be able to get out of the cellar of the NFL. If Suh doesn’t make a pro-bowl by year 3 I’d be shocked.
3. Tampa Bay Bucs- Gerald McCoy/DT/Oklahoma: Tampa Bay sucked against the run last year; they were either 31st or 32nd. I’m in an airport without Internet access so I can’t look it up. With the Rams drafting Bradford, the Bucs could rejoice, knowing that they’d either get Suh or McCoy. Gerald McCoy brings a quick step to the interior as well as a powerful run-stopper, allowing Barrett Ruud to finally excel as a Linebacker in Tampa Bay.
4. Washington Redskins- Jimmy Clausen/QB/Notre Dame: THE PRICK HAS LANDED…THE PRICK HAS LANDED… As a high school senior from California, Clausen rolled up to the College Football Hall of Fame in his stretch limo with 4 state championship rings, Clausen is one of the easiest players to hate in college football. Clausen was regarded as a 10-year prospect as a high school quarterback, with a six-figure quarterback coach since before he hit puberty, Clausen has been preparing to be in the NFL. While watching Notre Dame play USC I noticed that Clausen has finally matured away from that high school senior that rolled up in a stretch limousine to a poised and confident, sometimes cocky, quarterback who has the ability to drive his team down the field in the closing seconds.
5. Kansas City Chiefs- Russell Okung/OT/Oklahoma State: Brandon Albert, the Chiefs 2008 first round pick belongs as a guard and has struggled as on Offensive Tackle. While the Chiefs have a lot of holes to fill, if they want to protect their $63 Million dollar investment they need a true Left Tackle and Okung fills that need.
6. Seattle Seahawks- Eric Berry/S/Tennessee: Playing out of position his senior year, Berry didn’t have as impressive of numbers as he did as a freshman, sophomore and junior year but maybe more importantly he showed that he can play multiple positions in the secondary. Berry is a game-breaker at Safety and may be one of the safest picks in the draft, which is rare for any defensive back. The Seahawks desperately need someone who can create turnovers and when Pete Carroll won Championships at USC, their defenses always created turnovers.
7. Cleveland Browns- Dez Bryant/WR/Oklahoma State: By only playing a few games in 2009 and not running the 40 at the combine, Bryant may have done some temporary damage to his draft stock. The damage can be easily forgotten if Bryant performs well at his pro-day, which I think he’ll do. Although Bryant may also have some red flags in the character department for some NFL teams, (lying to the NCAA about dinner with Jerry Rice, as well as struggling to qualify for Oklahoma State) Bryant’s play making ability can’t be questioned and for Brady Quinn or Seneca Wallace to succeed, they need a true #1 receiver.
8. Oakland Raiders- Bruce Campbell/OT/Maryland: While Taylor Mays, CJ Spiller or Jacoby Ford may be tempting for the senile Al Davis, Bruce Campbell is an athletic freak for his own right. By running a sub 5-second 40-yard dash, putting up 34 reps at 225 pounds with 36-inch arms, as well as filling a need for the Raiders, Campbell seems to be a perfect fit in Oakland.
9. Buffalo Bills- Derrick Morgan/DE/Georgia Tech: I struggled with this pick and since the top two QB's are off the board, I figured the Bills could use an actual Defensive End since everyone knows Aaron Maybin shouldn't be considered a Defensive End. Morgan is an incredible player and he finally put everything together this season for a solid Georgia Tech defense.
10. Jacksonville Jaguars- Trent Williams/OT/Oklahoma: I struggled with this pick for the Jaguars but I figured that offensive line could always use help and Williams provides that. Williams has quick enough feet as well as strength to handle pass-rushing Defensive Ends.
11. Denver Broncos (from Chi)- Dan Williams/NT/Tennessee: The Broncos have a need to be able to plug the middle and to stop the run and while McClain could be a tempting pick, Williams fills the ability to plug the middle of the 3-4.
12. Miami Dolphins- Rolando McClain/LB/Alabama: The potential release of Joey Porter and the addition of Karlos Dansby, the Dolphins could use some help on the inside of their defense and McClain provides that help. Being the controller of the Alabama Defense, McClain will able to step in right away and contribute to the Dolphins.
13. San Francisco 49ers- Joe Haden/CB/Florida: By running a pedestrian 40-yard dash time, Haden probably cost himself a top-10 selection but San Francisco could use someone to take over for the aging Dre Bly. Haden's game speed shouldn't be questioned because he was generally considered the fastest player on a fast Florida Defense.
14. Seattle Seahawks (from Den)- C.J. Spiller/RB/Clemson: Pete Carroll missed on getting Spiller to USC out of high school and without an every down back, Carroll jumps at the opportunity to get the electric Spiller. Offensive Tackle or Quarterback are alternative options but Spiller’s game-breaking ability is too tempting to pass up.
15. New York Giants- Kyle Wilson/CB/Boise State: Wilson is a very solid all-around corner. Wilson also doubles as an electric punt-returner. Wilson is solid against the run and after a very impressive combine, Wilson solidified himself as a first round pick and the second corner off the board.
16. Tennessee Titans- Jason Pierre-Paul/DE/USF: Jason Pierre-Paul is the definition of a “boom or bust” first round pick. Being a one year wonder at the Defensive End position, Pierre-Paul will set out to silence the critics for only producing for one year. The athleticism Paul possesses is incredible and if he can translate that onto the field, the Titans won't miss Van den Bosch as much.
17. San Francisco 49ers (from Car)- Taylor Mays/S/USC: Mays was a two-time 100 meter state sprinter in high school and at 6’3” 230 pounds Mays showed off his speed at the combine. Mays is a bit of a polarizing pick, since he has started at USC as a freshman but not put up great statistics. Watching nearly all of Mays’s games, I noticed that Mays is normally asked to play 20 or 30 yards off the line of scrimmage and prevent any deep passes. By being coached to try and knock someone out instead of intercepting the ball, Mays just tries to play football and listen to his coaches, which is a promising trait for any player.
18. Pittsburgh Steelers- Bryan Bulaga/OT/Iowa: Big Ben Roethlisberger has been the most sacked quarterback the last two years (insert inappropriate sexual harassment comment here). To get back to the super bowl the Steelers need to get back to power running with Rashard Mendenhall, but to do that they need an upgrade at Left Tackle and Bulaga provides that upgrade.
19. Atlanta Falcons- Sean Weatherspoon/OLB/Missouri: The Falcons desperately need Linebacker help and Weatherspoon is a sideline-to-sideline playmaker at the Linebacker position. A little short, Weatherspoon can struggle to get off of blocks by offensive linemen but if Weatherspoon is able to avoid the blockers and run free, he can make ball carriers pay.
20. Houston Texans- Earl Thomas/S/Texas: Thomas’s stock couldn’t really be higher had he stayed another year in a loaded Longhorn secondary so by declaring early I think Thomas made the right decision. The Texans need help at the Safety position; Dominique Barber should not be playing for them at all. Thomas lays the wood and has great ball skills. Thomas is another talented piece to the puzzle for the Texans who need to make the playoffs next year because they have way too much talent on their team to not go deep in the playoffs.
21. Cincinnati Bengals- Golden Tate/WR/Notre Dame: For some reason it seems like Tate and Clausen were the two cockiest players in College Football last year although they struggled to win any type of important game. Tate should blend right in to the Bengals receiving corps and even benefit from learning from Ochocinco’s cocky ways. Seriously though, Tate is a downfield threat that the Bengals desperately need ever since Chris Henry went and got himself killed.
22. New England Patriots- Sergio Kindle/OLB/Texas: Kindle athletic ability is outstanding and I think he could go as high as the top ten if he didn’t have a propensity to drink mass amounts of alcohol and drive, as well as struggling to put together a couple of sentences. Either way, Belichek gets another gifted defender to replace the quickly aging Adalious Thomas, who should be cut sometime soon because there is no way he is worth $9 million dollars.
23. Green Bay Packers- Anthony Davis/OT/Rutgers: Losing Chad Clifton to the Redskins this off-season, Left Tackle becomes an even more important position for the Packers. Davis may not be the best fit into their zone-scheme running attack but a folding chair would be better than T.J. Lang who got eaten alive by ever Defensive End he tried to block last year.
24. Philadelphia Eagles- Brandon Graham/DE/Michigan: Graham was the only player worth a damn this year on Michigan’s defense and although offensive lines tried their best, Graham usually got the best of them. The Eagles could use another DE across from Trent Cole and Graham can take some of that pressure off of Cole as well as stop the run.
25. Baltimore Ravens- Patrick Robinson/CB/Florida State: Ladarius Webb seems like a young and promising corner for the Ravens but they don’t have much youth other than Webb at the corner position and Robinson can double as a return man while he works into the rotation of cornerback for the Ravens.
26. Arizona Cardinals- Everson Griffen/OLB/USC: In high school Griffen played running back and at 250 pounds (now up to 270) Griffen was incredibly athletic. The Cardinals lost Dansby and need to replace him with an athletic linebacker that has the ability to rush the passer and can play that role. Griffen’s versatility can really benefit a team like Arizona because they tend to move around from a 3-4 and 4-3.
27. Dallas Cowboys- Nate Allen/S/USF: The Cowboys secondary really struggled in the playoffs against Brett Favre and their aerial attack. Allen can play centerfield for the Cowboys since he has great range and ball skills. Allen may not be the best available player but their secondary sucks. Brandon Spikes may also be a pick here since Keith Brooking is like 38 years old but secondary is a more important area of upgrade.
28. San Diego Chargers- Ryan Mathews/RB/Fresno State: Cutting LaDanian Tomlinson and not tendering Darren Sproles all but guarantees that the Chargers will draft a Running Back in the first or second round. Being from Fresno State, Mathews wasn’t in the national spotlight on a consistent basis but his ability to carry the ball 20-25 times a game as well as tremendous size and speed warrant a first round pick for Mathews.
29. New York Jets- Arrelious Benn/WR/Illinois: Mark Sanchez desperately needs a true number 1 receiver since Braylon has a tendency to drop a lot of important catches. Benn really limited his development by going to Illinois but showed enough at the combine to be considered a first round pick. He has incredible athletic ability and strong hands, although his route running could be a little more polished. Damian Williams may be another option here for the Jets since Sanchez and Williams played together and already have established chemistry.
30. Minnesota Vikings- Mike Iupati/G/Idaho: As a Vikings pick this isn’t necessarily a “sexy” pick or even the biggest need but Iupati is too big and physical to not be the pick. He provides more depth and competition at the Right Guard position and should find his way into the line-up early in his career.
31. Indianapolis Colts- Maurkice Pouncey/G/C/Florida: It seems like the Colts could always use help along the offensive line although Peyton does a great job of not getting sacked more than necessary. Pouncey can play Center or Guard, his versatility along with needs and strength should allow him to slip into the late first round.
32. New Orleans- Brandon Spikes/LB/Florida: Although the Saints have Vilma in the middle, they could use help at SLB now that Scott Shanle has left and I think that Spikes can transition into that role, much like Maualuga did with the Bengals this year.
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