Here we go...Free Agency has changed the draft dramatically since the beginning of the year. We have a much clearer picture of who wants whom. Here are the first two rounds complete with a couple trades. Hope you all feel this is fair to your team. This won't necessarily be a popular mock, and many of you will think some of these picks are ridiculous, so take it with a grain of salt. Please comment if you think I am an idiot or a genius...Thanks.
Round One
01. Houston—Reggie Bush, RB USC - What can you say? Reggie will add a dimension to this team that every team in the league wants. Houston can pick up OL help in FA and the draft is deep in OL talent that is their biggest need IMO. They could be best served by trading down, but no one will trade that much to move up to #1...though they are playing up the Vince Young is God thing in hopes that they can convince some team that they will take Young and force a trade...but in the end they take Bush
02. New Orleans—Mario Williams, DE UNC - They could still take a QB, but I doubt it till the 3rd or 4th round...they are the team most likely to trade down, I think...they most likely will take Mario Williams or Ferguson...Controversey alert**
03. Tennessee—Jay Cutler, QB Vanderbilt - They are a wild card to me...I can see them taking any of the QB's...They have the Chow/Leinart connection, but I think they are not sold on him...they have worked out Cutler and see him regularly because Vandy is so close...I think they like him a lot and say so...of course we never know what is smoke screen...but from the beginning we had the McNair as tutor to Young connection that seemed very likely when everyone was convinced that the Saints would take Leinart...they could also take Ferguson...or Hawk...or Huff...I think they take Cutler. Controversy Alert number two**
04. NY Jets—AJ Hawk, LB Ohio State - If it goes this way through the first 3, then it is very likely that Mangini and Tannenbaum take Leinart, but if they are really smart, they take AJ Hawk! He goes so far to establishing the Defense Mangini wants...plus, I think he is the best player in the draft, apologies to Reggie...Controversy Alert number three**
05. Green Bay—D'Bricksahw Ferguson, OT Virginia - I think they want Hawk or Williams or Ferguson pretty equally...but they will get tremendous help for their Oline if they get Ferguson...they still need to replace their interior line, but whoever is their QB, he will be psyched...they probably would love to get Huff as well...
06. San Francisco-Michael Huff, CB Texas - They would take Huff here in a second I think...they could take Davis, too...
07. Oakland—Vince Young, QB Texas - They take Vince Young despite having Brooks and Walter...there is so much upside here that Davis will be drooling, and Moss and company will too...
08. Buffalo—Haloti Ngata, DT Oregon - Seems like a no-brainer...they could be tempted to trade down, take a QB, or corner, but Ngata just makes perfect sense. If SF passes on Huff, he would be a Bill...
09. Minnesota-Matt Leinart, QB USC - trade #17 and 48 to Detroit - Speaking of no-brainers, Minnesota won't be the only team vying for this pick, Detroit might want it themselves, the Vikes might need to throw in their extra 3rd rounder to make this deal...I think Leinart is gonna be a bust, though...too bad for me, because I am a Vikings fan
10. Arizona—Vernon Davis, TE Maryland - Denny will have a formidable offense as Davis is a one of a kind...he can do it all...he will help the running game as much as the passing game...
11. St. Louis—Jimmy Williams, CB VA Tech - Perfect pick for St. Louis after picking up Witherspoon and Chavous and Glover, they will get arguably the best corner in the draft...
12. Cleveland—Chad Greenway, LB, Iowa - I think Greenway is Urlacher II...he will be a difference maker...
13. Baltimore—Winston Justice, OT, USC - This is a great pick for the Ravens...Justice is a versatile and athletic tackle...they might like to pick up a more exciting skill guy, but this moves seems almost essential for them
14. Philadelphia—LenDale White, RB USC - They might want an LB or WR, but LenDale is perfect...he came from a system that used two RB's...White as the Power guy and a Westbrook-like versatile receiver type in Bush...plus he is a great blocker...White will be a difference maker in Philly...
15. Denver-Santonio Holmes, WR Ohio State - trade with Atlanta - they are smoke screening that they want a QB...they want Holmes!
16. Miami—Tye Hill, CB Clemson - They picked up old man Allen, but they need their shut down corner, and Hill is showing that he has the speed and hips to be that guy...his "stock" has risen a lot since the Senior Bowl and the Combine
17. Detroit—Ashton Youboty, CB Ohio State - Youboty is going to be a stud...big for a CB, he could have benefitted from his senior year (and so could OSU)...Detroit scores here, plus the extra 2nd rounder (and possibly more?)
18. Dallas—Ko Simpson, FS South Carolina - Dallas gets their Free Safety to balance their defensive backfield...Simpon is another guy who could have used another year of school, but I'd come out too if I were projected to go in the mid first round!
19. San Diego—Chad Jackson, WR Florida - San Diego certainly will pick a WR in the draft, and if Jackson is available, they will certainly take him (or Holmes)
20. Kansas City—Gabe Watson, DT Michigan - I think KC will solidify the Dline first and go for a big WR second...
21. New England—Deangelo Williams, RB Memphis - NE could take an LB, but they also need an RB and Williams is easily the BPA here...
22. Denver-Broderick Bunkley, DT FSU - Steal! Bunkley is a perfect fit on the Denver D-line...it is a need and maybe BPA...
23. Tampa Bay—Marcus McNeil, OT Auburn - maybe we're looking at another steal here...Dallas needs Oline help, so he could be gone...but he will be a major help for Simms and Cadilac if they get him...
24. Cincinnati—Tamba Hali, DE Penn State - Hali is not their biggest need, but he may be BPA here and will be an excellent addition to their Dline...
25. NY Giants—Ernie Sims, LB FSU - Sims is going to be a great LB...think Derrick Brooks II
26. Chicago—Leonard Pope, TE Georgia - Seems like a no brainer...Pope will be better than adding another WR...he will be a huge addition to Da Bears Offense...
27. Carolina—Lawrence Maroney, RB Minnesota - mild steal here...only question is this nagging Hamstring issue, but he has shown he can catch the ball in his workout, and we know about his ability to run and block...Carolina could be back in the Super Bowl...
28. Jacksonville—DeMeco Ryans, LB Alabama - This could change if the Jags get Arrington...but Ryans is gonna be great...
29. NY Jets-Antonio Cromartie, CB FSU - from Denver via Atlanta - If Cromartie played last year, he would be the top corner, IMO...he has checked out medically and will be a difference maker for the Jets D...they need to replace Law
30. Indianapolis—Brian Calhoun, RB Wisconsin - Edgerin who?
31. Seattle-Mathias Kiwanuka, DE BC - Abraham what?
32. Pittsburgh—Sinorice Moss, WR Miami - Randle El which?
Round Two
- Houston Texans—Eric Winston, OT Miami
- New Orleans Saints—Nick Mangold, C Ohio State
- New York Jets—Joseph Addai, RB LSU
- Green Bay Packers—Bobby Carpenter, LB OSU
- San Francisco 49ers—Marcedes Lewis, TE UCLA
- Oakland Raiders—Thomas Howard, LB UTEP
- Tennessee Titans—D'Qwell Jackson, ILB Maryland
- Detroit Lions—Jon Scott, OT Texas
- Arizona Cardinals—Taitusi Latui, OG USC
- Buffalo Bills—Darnell Bing, SS USC
- Cleveland Browns—Jeremy Trueblood, OT BC
- Baltimore Ravens—Rodrique Wright, DT Texas
- Philadelphia Eagles—Rocky McIntosh, LB Miami
- St. Louis Rams—Manny Lawson, DE NCST
- Atlanta Falcons—Max Jean-Giles, OG Georgia
- Detroit Lions - Davin Joseph, OG Oklahoma
- Dallas Cowboys—Daryn Colledge, OT Boise State
- San Diego Chargers—Donte Whitner, S OSU
- Minnesota Vikings - Abdul Hodge, MLB Iowa
- New England Patriots—Kamerion Wimbley, OLB FSU
- Washington Redskins—Charles Spencer, OG, Pitt
- Kansas City Chiefs—Daryl Tapp, DE VA Tech
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers—Jonathan Lewis, DT VA Tech
- Cincinnati Bengals— Daniel Bullocks SS Nebraska
- New York Giants—Anwar Phillips, CB Penn State
- Chicago Bears—Ryan O'Callaghan, OT Cal
- Carolina Panthers—Joe Klopfenstein, TE Colorado
- Jacksonville Jaguars—Anthony Fasano, TE Notre Dame
- Denver Broncos—Greg Eslinger, C Minnesota
- Indianapolis Colts—Jon Alston, LB, Stanford
- Seattle Seahawks—Pat Watkins, S FSU
- Pittsburgh Steelers—Elvis Dumervil, DE Louisville
