UPDATE: 4/25

Please feel free to comment! What do you like? What don’t you agree with? Who do you think Crazy Al Davis will pick? Any and every piece of feedback is appreciated!

1.    Lions—Matthew Stafford (QB Georgia)… The Lions get a new face for the franchise, the best signal-caller out there. Culpepper may be looking good in camp, but the Lions finally stop messing around and give their team a future with Stafford. Of course, the Lions have the ability to talk contracts with anyone they want right now, and that might affect their choice. (Previous Projection: Same)
2.    Rams—Jason Smith (OT Baylor)… Future Hall-of-Famer Orlando Pace is gone, so the top tackle gets called on to fill his shoes. Some people suggest that Eugene Monroe might have the talent to take this spot, but we don’t buy it. Smith is the man here. (Previous Projection: Same)
3.    Chiefs—Aaron Curry (ILB Wake Forest)… They have a fairly up-and-coming crew on offense, so they solidify the defense here with many scouts’ number 1 prospect. (Previous Projection: Same)

4.    Seahawks—Eugene Monroe (OT Virginia)… The Hawks improve a middling O-line that gave up 36 sacks (12th most in the league) and help protect an oft-banged up Matt Hassleback. Monroe played solidly while at UVA, and was smart to do nothing stupid (a la Andre Smith) during the offseason. They will wait another year for a quarterback. (Previous Projection: Same)
5.    Browns—Brian Orakpo (DE/OLB Texas)… DeMarcus Ware had more sacks than the Browns did last season. Ouch. All the talk out of Browns-town suggests that Braylon Edwards will be wearing a different uniform next year. There will be WR talent in the second round or later in the first if the Browns get picks for Edwards. There has been lots of talk about the Browns not liking Crabtree but you can’t believe everything you hear this time of year; however, a very likely trade might give the Browns a pick to use on Wide Receiver later in the draft. If they don’t trade Edwards, they won’t need a wide receiver, so they will focus on defense here regardless. (Previous Projection: Michael Crabtree)
6.    Bengals—Andre Smith (OT Alabama)… Headache-factory Chad Johnson remains a question mark, but with Braylon Edwards and Anquan Boldin appearing more likely to be traded, Ocho Cinco might be staying put this year in Cincy. The Jason Peters trade takes a major suitor out of the running, leaving the Bengals with Chad. As such, the Bengals address O-line needs with another basket-case talent. I don’t think he has scared off owners that much, and it doesn’t really matter when a team like the Bengals needs your help. (Previous Projection: Same)
7.    Raiders—Michael Crabtree (WR Texas Tech)… Crabtree immediately provides a spark plug for a previously lame passing attack. Everyone is predicting that Al Davis will be Al Davis and pick up a random athletic freak, which could happen, but while he may be crazy, Crabtree fits the athletic bill while still being a major need. Maclin might be the more prototypical fit here, and he is more athletic, but Crabtree is on another level. They will now have a trio of young playmakers—with still no one to protect the quarterback. Raiders fans are smarter than Al Davis, many of them clamoring for line help, but it won’t come here. (Previous Projection: Jeremy Maclin)
8.    Jaguars—Jeremy Maclin (WR Missouri)… Since the Browns won’t go wide receiver early, instead getting one later or just keeping Edwards, the Jaguars pounce on Mizzou star Jeremy Maclin. Raji would be a great pick for Jacksonville, plugging a hole in the defensive line, but they can’t pass up an obvious need at wideout. Mark Sanchez? We think they will stick with Garrard, with whom they recently awarded a nice contract, and surround him with a little more talent. TRADE? there is a lot of talk about a trade here or just selecting Mark Sanchez outright. I think it the latter is a smokescreen but the Jaguars would love for a jumpy team to offer them a nice trade for this pick fearing that Sanchez will go high. Look out for THE JETS to try and move up. Again, as you can see in the projection, I don’t think they will have to. (Previous Projection: B.J. Raji)
9.    Packers—B.J. Raji (DT Boston College)… They need defensive line help, DT or DE. With Orakpo off the board, they get a good value for Raji, who will fill in the middle. (Previous Projection: Brian Orakpo)
10.    49ers—Michael Oher (OT Mississippi) At this point in the draft, he is a good value and the 49ers, although they could use a blue-chipper at QB, they would like to have some protection for whoever is standing behind center. Shaun Hill was decent last year, and it appears that the 49ers may stick with him to see how it goes this season. To help him succeed, they provide a proven tackle that had a consistently impressive career in college. (Previous Projection: Same)
11.    Bills—Tyson Jackson (DE LSU)… Thrilled that he has fallen to them at 11, the Bills gobble up Jackson, who is seeing his stock rise these last few weeks. Not wanting to lose out on the good first round talent at DE, the Bills get in on the action; they will wait on their TE. (Previous Projection: Aaron Maybin)
12.    Broncos—Aaron Maybin (DE/OLB Penn State)… Will Orton be the franchise quarterback? The answer to that question will obviously dictate the draft day decisions of the the Denver brass—did they get him to play second-fiddle, or to play stopgap until next year, or to be their guy? The SportsHuman opinion is that McDaniels tries out Orton for a year; there are increasingly visible indications that the Broncos will instead go defense, allowing Orton a chance to succeed (or fail) under his new head coach. They wanted Tyson Jackson but he will probably go just a little higher. His draft stock is rising. Still, Maybin will help out right away. (Previous Projection: Tyson Jackson)
13.    Redskins—Robert Ayers (DE Tennessee)… The popular conception is that the Redskins want a new QB. That may be the case, if that quarterback is a proven NFL star. But rather than going with the second-best QB in an underwhelming class, they will stick with Jason Campbell for another year. It didn’t help that both sides of the trenches were terrible last year. They have to go O or D-line here, after the release of Taylor and the general disarray that has plagued their protection-scheme for the last few years; with Oher gone, they won’t reach for a tackle and know that they can find one in the second round, so they pick up a guy who figures to project as a food 4-3 defensive end, which is just what the Skins need. He’ll bring excitement to a city lacking it. (Previous Projection: Same)
14.    Saints—Malcolm Jenkins (CB/S Ohio State)… I haven’t seen a mock that doesn’t suggest that the Saints really want the help of Ohio State star Jenkins to make their secondary scary; most people are project Jenkins as an NFL safety, and with Darren Sharper to help as a veteran presence, the Saints could have a nice DB core on their hands. (Previous Projection: Same)
15.    Texans—Brian Cushing (OLB USC)… If he’s still here, the Texans bite: they need an OLB, and this guy is going to wreak Texas havoc Blood Meridian style. Okay well, maybe not that violent, but he and his USC resume are going pose a problem for AFC South O-lines. (Previous Projection: Same)
16.    Chargers—Rey Maualuga (ILB USC)… Our apologies to Rey for calling him Ray Mauluaga over the last week; his name is now correctly spelled. The Chargers will like him here and he will like them too. He already lives in SoCal, and he will pair with Merriman to scare offenses across the nation. SportsHuman eyes have seen Mauluaga live, and it was a fearful sight indeed. He dominated this year, he dominated last year, and it will be tough for other teams to run on the Chargers’ linebacker corps with him holding it down. I don’t think there is any validity to all this selecting an RB murmuring I am hearing about the Chargers. (Previous Projection: Same)
17.    Jets—Mark Sanchez (QB USC)… YES, I think he will drop this far. Remember Brady Quinn? How about Aaron Rodgers? Just because a player is being mega-hyped by the draft gurus at ESPN (1 of whom I respect, the other of whom is a lame attempt at replacing him) doesn’t mean he will go in the top 10. The quarterback crop is notably mediocre this year, and with the starting roles filled for teams at 12-17, Sanchez falls to the Jets, who are happy to have him. With Coles gone, the Jets will need a speedy replacement at wideout, but they need someone to throw the ball first. Kind of a no brainer if Sanchez is here. Hey, it’s working for the city’s rhyming baseball team. TRADE? As I noted earlier, the Jets could try and trade this pick to Jacksonville; I think they will get Sanchez if they wait. We’ll see. (Previous Projection: Same)
18.    Broncos—Everette Brown (DE Florida State)… The Bronco defense pretty clearly sucked last year. Selecting another player for the front seven will send the message that the gaping holes are now shut. Denver will pick up Brown and feel confident that even if Orton sucks, a newly vamped defense will give him a lot of opportunities to get it right. (Previous Projection: Same)
19.    Buccaneers—Josh Freeman (QB Kansas State)… Great year at Kansas State, who isn’t a terrific football program, but as reader pointed out, they are a Big 12 school. The SportsHuman opinion: not quite sold but willing to give him a chance, and so are the Bucs, who need help at QB. If he is what he was in college, he could be terrific. (Previous Projection: Same)
20.    Lions—Eben Britton (OT Arizona)… I am becoming more and more convinced that if the Lions are serious about fixing the offense, they will protect their Number 1 overall pick by using their other first-round pick to play tackle. He and Gosder Cherilus should give Stafford and rising superstar Calvin Johnson enough time to win at least 1 game. (Previous Projection: Same)
21.    Eagles—Brandon Pettigrew (TE Oklahoma State)… After a major move trading away the 28th pick for Pro-Bowl tackle Jason Peters, the possibilities of this pick being traded as well are now slimmer. The Eagles don’t value the running game enough to go RB here, nor do they (or I) think like everyone else on the bandwagon that Westbrook is done just yet. His offensive line was simply horrid at runblocking last year, and with Shawn Andrews returning and Jason Peters suiting up on the left side, I fully believe Westbrook can be elite again. What they do need is a red-zone target who can actually catch passes, and they need someone who can block—the exceptionally durable Pettigrew can do both very well, and they will pull the trigger on him here. They probably don’t trust Brent Celek, seeing as it took them until the end of the year to pencil him in as the starter over LJ Smith, who may or may not have hands as far as I can tell. There is also a strong possibility of a DE here, but we think Pettigrew’s skill set is too good to pass up. NOTE: There are a lot of rumors flying around that the Eagles are, in fact, settled on Moreno. We’ll believe it when we see it, but with all the talk it is hard to say as definitively as I have been that they won’t go RB. Look for the Eagles to think about trading down; not out of the first round, but possibly to the Patriots or Falcons. They might be able to get Pettigrew a little later in the draft, or maybe go DE; however, there will more likely be a trade in the second round than this one. Yeah, we have read all the reports, but if we were betting men (which we are) we would bet on Andy Reid going with Pettigrew here and filling a much greater need. (Previous Projection: Same)
22.    Vikings—Darrius Heyward-Bey (WR Maryland)… Another team that could go a lot of places this year with their pick, the Vikings get a good athlete to catch passes from whoever is throwing them, making a one-dimensional team at least partially better suited for NFL play. With the Twins falling out of our most recent Power Rankings and the T-Wolves being miles away from this year’s NBA playoffs, the Vikings will want to bring some excitement to Minneapolis, and picking up a high-flying wideout will help. (Previous Projection: Same)
23.    Patriots—James Lauranitis (ILB Ohio State)… This kid is solid. He went into last year a great prospect, and came out a great prospect. NFL teams have been excited about him for years now, because he is just a good all-around player. He definitely fits the Patriots’ mold as a locker-room leader, and his production speaks for itself. (Previous Projection: Same)
24.    Falcons—Clay Matthews (OLB USC)… We had Michael Johnson here and I still think he has a good chance to make the first round even though many draftniks have him falling out. But if Clay Matthews is here the Falcons will take him. He is a good value at this point in the draft, and just what the Falcons need if there is no TE to pick here. (Previous Projection: Same)
25.    Dolphins—Vontae Davis (CB Illinois)… Word on the street is that the Dolphins need some secondary help. Here it is. The Dolphins offense is emerging nicely with few holes, and Miami provides its young offensive stars some defense. (Previous Projection: Same)
26.    Ravens—Percy Havin (WR Florida)… Percy Harvin is a great wide receiver that will make the big plays for Baltimore. He isn’t Crabtree or Maclin, nor does he have the Maryland tie like Heyward-Bey; however, Alphonso Smith appears to be falling a little and the Ravens need a wideout, so they will take Harvin and his awesome potential. (Previous Projection: Alphonso Smith)
27.    Colts—Peria Jerry (DT Mississippi)… The Colts get exactly what they want here, a good player who will help the defense keep other teams from touching the score that Manning puts on the board. They needed a tackle two years ago, so it is about time they plug up the middle. With two first-rounders, Ole Miss really must be suffering, like UVA, from awesome-talent-but-the-team-still-sucks-syndrome. (Previous Projection: Same)
28.    Bills—William Beatty (OT Connecticut)… They would have preferred Britton or obviously Oher but Beatty is the next available OT and the Bills need to replace Jason Peters. They gave a tackle to a team that needed one. Now they need a tackle. Pretty cut and dry. The Bills need a TE but nobody merits a selection at 28. (Previous Projection: Eben Britton)
29.    Giants—Kenny Britt (WR Rutgers)… The big receiver gets the nod, even if it is a bit of a reach. Somebody has to catch touchdowns now that overrated Plaxico is probably headed to the slammer. Britt hails from nearby Rutgers, and Hakeem Nicks’s weight concerns will push him out of the first round now that there will be one fewer team (the Bears) looking for 1st round WR talent. (Previous Projection: Same)
30.    Titans—Alphonso Smith (CB Wake Forest)… The Titans are looking to go WR or defense here, and since Smith is still around they take the corner from Wake and immediately upgrade the only suspect part of their tough defense. They can get a receiver later; plus, they now have Torry Holt. (Previous Projection: Percy Harvin)
31.   Cardinals—Knowshon Moreno (HB Georgia)… The tremendously talented Georgia product breathes a sigh of relief when he is finally picked in the first round. Is he better than the 31st pick warrants? Of course, but it just so happens that the teams in spots 21-28 all have running backs that made Pro Bowl teams within the last 2 years. You may be shocked that Beanie Wells isn’t on this page. Don’t be. Teams realize that the offensive line means as much to the running game as the man with the ball, and a lot of teams have needs other than RB this year. Only one running back hits first round paydirt, largely because of team needs. (Previous Projection: Same)
32.    Steelers—Alex Mack (C California)… The Steelers need secondary help and a new center. They will get both on the first day, and Mack presents great value at this pick. He was a really solid performer in college and has been on draft radars for a long time. (Previous Projection: Same)

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Walter Football Mock Draft

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Football Jabber Mock Draft Database

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