Third Draft of My 2009 Mock Draft

Detroit Lions: Matthew Stafford QB UGA

As the draft draws closer I still feel Stafford is the Lions pick. His rocket arm and ability to work with a makeshift line will be invaluable to Detroit. It is interesting to note that last year was the final year of Bobby Layne’s curse. For those uninitiated, Bobby Layne helped Detroit win three championships and then was traded to Pittsburgh. Upset with the trade Layne is rumored to have said the Lions wouldn’t win for 50 years. Subsequently the Lions have had the worst winning percentage of any team over those 50 years of the curse. As aforementioned the last year of the curse ended with Detroit’s record setting 0-16 season. It is interesting to note that Stafford went to the same high school as Bobby Layne. Could Stafford be the chosen one, destined to bring the Lions out of the ashes? Just the prospect of this might be enough to convince me to draft Stafford, but only the Lions’ front office can make that choice.

St. Louis Rams: Jason Smith OT Baylor

With the release of Orlando Pace the Rams have a gaping hole at OT. They missed out on Jake Long last year, but won’t miss out on an OT this year. I think Stafford is a darkhorse pick for them here if the Lions pass on him. Bulger is getting up there and is pretty battered. However, Freeman or Pat White could be available with their next pick. Plus, it is a poor decision to put a rookie behind a bad Oline. If the Lions take Smith, look for the Rams to take Eugene Monroe.

Kansas City Chiefs: BJ Raji DT Boston College

I almost had the Chiefs take Aaron Curry, then they signed Zach Thomas. Thomas will play in the middle with Johnson, Hali and Vrabel can play outside, and Demorrio Williams and different draft pick could fill in all round. It makes no sense to start a 3-4 without a nosetackle in the middle. Raji is a stellar prospect who along with Vrabel and Thomas’ veteran leadership will make the Chiefs’ transition to the 3-4 a smooth one.

Seattle Seahawks: Eugene Monroe OT Virginia

Previous Pick: Aaron Curry OLB Wake Forest

Walter Jones is 35 and coming off a serious injury. Mark Sanchez might be an option, but I think it is a poor decision to sit a rookie behind a bad oline, just ask the 49ers. So, the Seahawks take Monroe and shore up their oline for years to come.

Cleveland Browns: Aaron Curry OLB Wake Forest

Previous Pick: Brian Orakpo DE/OLB Texas

Rumors are abound that the Browns will trade off their entire offense…I find them a little suspect. The PR the Browns got from drafting Quinn was great. Hometown boy makes good would be just what the Browns need, not Derek Anderson. Drafting Crabtree here would make a lot of sense especially if the Browns do trade Braylon Edwards. However, the Browns Achillies heel has been their defense and Curry is the best linebacker prospect in years, why not draft him and stop selling off a good offense.

Cincinnati Bengals: Andre Smith OT Alabama

Previous Pick: Eugene Monroe OT Virginia

The Bengals desperately need an OT. Why Andre Smith and not Oher? The Bengals seem to not have a problem with troubled athletes. The just signed Tank Johnson (which eliminates the need for BJ Raji), Chris Henry is still on roster, and Leon Hall just got in trouble for drunk driving. If you remove Andre Smith’s questionable offseason, he is by far the best OT in this draft. The Bengals will have no problem making this adjustment and will bring Andre on board.

Oakland Raiders: Michael Crabtree WR Texas Tech

Russell needs a target. Can you imagine an offense with Jamarcus Russell, Darren McFadden, and Michael Crabtree? If the Raiders could get a decent line they could have an unstoppable offense.

Jacksonville Jaguars: Jeremy Maclin WR Missouri

Jones Drew is now the feature back in Jacksonville. Garrard needs a target and the Jags need someone to replace Jones Drew in the return game. Maclin is a dual threat that could elevate the Jags offense and help them return to the playoffs. However, don’t be surprised if this pick is traded for someone who wants to jump up and grab Mark Sanchez.

Green Bay Packers: Brian Orakpo DE/OLB Texas

Previous Pick: Aaron Maybin DE/OLB Penn State

Kampman will be transitioning to OLB in the 3-4 and Poppinga will be operating opposite of him. Malcolm Jenkins would be a nice option for the Packers, but drafting Orakpo would be a major pass rushing upgrade.

San Francisco 49ers: Aaron Maybin DE/OLB Penn State

Previous Pick: Andre Smith OT Alabama

The signing of Marvel Smith somewhat negates the need for an OT. I could still see the 49ers going OT given Smith’s injury history, but for the moment the Niners upgrade their pass-rush with the young Aaron Maybin.

Buffalo Bills: Everette Brown DE Florida State

Previous Pick: Brian Cushing OLB USC

Aaron Schoebal is on the mend, but it wouldn’t hurt to draft a DE. With the tackles in the AFC East, the Bills will need multiple pass rushers to hold back these offenses. A large reason for New York’s success over New England was the depth in the passrush the Giants were able to keep up. Drafting Brown would not only insure Schoebal, but provide a constant passrush.

Denver Broncos: Tyson Jackson DE LSU

Previous Pick: Everette Brown DE Florida State

The Broncos are implementing a 3-4 defense and Jackson is the best 34 DE available. As 3-4 DE’s are hard to come by and the Chargers are eyeing Jackson, I have the Broncos picking the LSU DE here. This pick could be used on Sanchez or Beanie Wells, but I think Jackson gets the nod first.

Washington Redskins: Michael Oher OT Ole Miss

The Skins are looking to upgrade their oline. Derrick Dockery helps, but adding a premier OT would make the Redskins line that much better. A solid line will go a long way towards helping Jason Campbell elevate his play and bring the Skins back to the playoffs.

New Orleans Saints: Chris Wells HB Ohio State

The Saints could draft corner Vontae Davis or S/CB Malcolm Jenkins here. However, defense is obviously not the Saints’ strong point. The weakpoint on the Saints high caliber offense is the rushing game. Pierre Thomas shows some promise, but I’m not sold yet. Deuce is gone and Bush is recovering from a serious injury. Wells would help make a stacked offense even better and provide the Saints some insurance for their abysmal rushing attack.

Houston Texans: Malcolm Jenkins CB/S Ohio State

Drafting a Safety in the first round would help stop the run and slow down the air attack. Seeing that Jenkins is being projected to be a safety in the NFL, the Texans could get a steal with this pick. It’s rare to have a premier cover safety and Jenkins would upgrade the Texans secondary considerably. A lot of people have the Texans pursuing Brian Cushing, but with Cato June, Thompson, and Abidi the need for an OLB is not terribly pressing.

San Diego Chargers: Rey Maualuga ILB USC

Previous Pick: Tyson Jackson DE LSU

The Chargers, as always, have phenomenal depth. This frees them up to draft whatever their heart desires. If Chris Wells were available I think he might be the pick because both LT and Sproiles are on very short term contracts. However, with Wells and Tyson Jackson gone the Chargers bring in Rey and bolster a solid linebacker corp.

New York Jets: Darrius Heyward-Bey WR Maryland

The Jets front office is adamant about the QB competition they already have, so I doubt Sanchez gets picked here. With Coles’ departure the Jets could use a deep threat wideout. Bey ran a great 40 and at 6’3 he could be a great target for whatever QB eventually takes over under center. Many have Harvin here, but teams are cooling on him and the Jets loved Heyward-Bey.

Denver Broncos: Mark Sanchez QB USC

Do I believe that the Broncos will draft Sanchez, not necessarily. Do I know where he is going to go…not in the slightest. Some team will trade up to get Sanchez and totally ruin my mock draft. So, to minimize the damage, I’ll send him to Denver. The Broncos may draft him, which would make sense given Orton only has one year left on his contract. However, I put Sanchez here to minimize the damage, because chances are a trade for Sanchez will go through Denver.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Robert Ayers DE Tennessee

Previous Pick: Mark Sanchez QB USC

The Bucs signed Leftwich which negates the need for Mark Sanchez. The Bucs can now address their defense. Ayers has soared up draft boards and will be a veritable steal at this pick. Ayers opposite of Adams will give the Bucs defense a solid pass rush for years.

Detroit Lions: Eben Britton OT Arizona

The Lions picked Stafford up with their first pick. Now they need to protect him. I would say draft Laurinaitis here, but it is very possible that he’ll fall to them with the 33^rd overall. Britton will be a good pick up and help shore up a shaky Lions O-line

Philadelphia Eagles: Knowshon Moreno HB UGA

First, the Eagles have two first round picks so they should select the most dynamic player available. Second, Westbrook had a lot of durability issues. Third, Buckhalter is gone. Fourth, Tony Hunt has not panned out for the Eagles as of yet. Drafting Moreno will be a great solution to help Westbrook remain fresh through the season and provide the Eagles with a strong running game in Westbrook’s absence. Moreno’s constantly moving feet and receiving ability will make it seem as if Westbrook had not left the huddle.

Minnesota Vikings: Vontae Davis CB Illinois

The Vikings have two solid starting corners, but Winfield is getting older. Drafting his eventual replacement and having Winfield tutor him is a good idea. Plus there is an added bonus that Davis will be a solid nickel back for the Vikings, something necessary given Cutler’s arrival in Denver, the Packer’s wideouts, and the strong arm QB’s that could be in Detroit. If Britton falls here, he may get a look (so might Beatty), but I think corner is a priority here.

New England Patriots: Clay Matthews OLB USC

The Patriots have great needs at linebacker. Vrabel was traded to Kansas City. With that in mind, Clay Matthews’ stock is climbing, in large part due to his pass rushing ability. Many 3-4 teams will have their eyes on him. Matthews could be a perfect fit for the dynamic linebacker corp in New England.

Atlanta Falcons: Perria Jerry DT Ole Miss

Previous Pick: Brandon Pettigrew TE Oklahoma State

It would not surprise me to see the Falcons take Pettigrew with this pick. Given the Falcons rough schedule I would say defense should be a priority. With that said the Falcons have a gaping hole in the middle of their defense. The Falcons selected Ryan over Dorsey last year, now they pick Jerry to fill that still present need.

Miami Dolphins: Hakeem Kicks WR North Carolina

Previous Pick: DJ Moore CB Vanderbilt

A CB would be very valuable to the Dolphins, but none has solid value here. There will be a few solid corners later in the draft. Right now the Dolphins need to arm Pennington with more weapons. The Dolphins visited Nicks and liked what they saw. The receiver with the XXXL gloves should be the Dolphins pick, provided they don’t want to reach for a corner.

Baltimore Ravens: Brian Cushing OLB USC

Previous Pick: Rey Maualuga ILB USC

Cushing is a dynamic player who can play inside, outside, and a little DE in the 3-4. That kind of versatility is very hard to come by which will make Cushing a steal here for the Ravens.

Indianapolis Colts: Percy Harvin WR Florida

Here is a quote from Colts GM Polian: "I've always approached the draft as take the best player no matter what the position is. Don't worry about filling a need, you can do that later in the draft. Take the best player in the first two rounds, whoever he is." Despite the recent qualms about his character that player would be Harvin. Harvin’s playmaking ability could elevate the Colts offense to unbelievable heights. Harvin, Wayne, Gonzalez, and Clark would be a fierce set of targets for MVP Peyton Manning.

Philadelphia Eagles: Alex Mack C Cal

The Eagles signed Stacy Andrews and plan on moving pro bowl guard Shaun Andrews to tackle. So now the Eagles have a void on the interior of the line. Mack would be great for the Eagles if for no other reason than he was one of the few linemen that could hold back BJ Raji. The Eagles would do themselves a favor by drafting Mack. However, it should be noted that this pick will probably be part of some trade, so chances are Mack will not be an Eagle.

New York Giants: Brandon Pettigrew TE Oklahoma State

Previous Pick: Kenny Britt WR Rutgers

Pettigrew is a solid tight end. His run blocking is a particularly excellent part of his game and a running team like the Giants could use all the run blocking tighends possible. This pick might get traded as well, but if Pettigrew gets to the Giants I don’t see them passing up on him.

Tennessee Titans: Evander Hood DT Missouri

Previous Pick: Perria Jerry DT Ole Miss

With the departure of Haynesworth the Titans have a gaping hole in the middle of their defense. Hood is the best DT available and as such the pick for the Titans.

Arizona Cardinals: Michael Johnson DE/OLB Georgia Tech

The Cardinals’ offense is not what lost them the Super Bowl. With the departure of Antonio Smith the Cardinals need to fill a void. The athletic Johnson could go a long way towards not only improving the Cardinals defense, but help the transition to a 3-4 defense. I would not be surprised if Johnson was gone by this point though. His athleticism is astonishing. How many DE’s do you know that are used as gunners on punt coverage?

Pittsburgh Steelers: William Beatty OT Connecticut

The Steelers are paying Max Starks another $8 million…while I’m not the biggest fan of this, it was a smart move. Starks has been a starting tackle for two Super Bowl teams and despite a few mental errors in pass-blocking, he is a truly solid tackle who has destroyed some of the leagues premier defenders. I wished we had kept Simmons and let the Jets sign Kemo. However, I still see a need along the Oline. An OT would make sense as we fired Marvel Smith. If Beatty plays well enough the Steelers could move Colon to guard, Starks to the right side of the line, and have a pretty solid line for Ben to do that voodoo that he does so well.