The Raji pick was not a surprise for me.  I had had Raji at No. 2 on my draft board, behind Brian Orakpo, who ultimately went No. 13 to the Washington Redskins.  However, looking at it again, Raji is the right pick.  It’s hard to find mine 6-foot, 337 pound nose tackles that can move in the NFL Draft.  Outside linebackers are a dime-a-dozen throughout the draft.  There was no one else in the draft comparable to Raji.  So Thompson made the pick.

Sitting at No. 9 made me a little nervous.  There were three high quality players available at that juncture, in Raji, Orakpo, and Texas Tech wide receiver Michael Crabtree.  Right before the pick, I predicted that Thompson would end Crabtree’s unexplainable slide.  I could see Thompson taking Crabtree — the Jordy Nelson pick last year shows he’s not scared to take a wideout.  Crabtree to Green Bay could have caused an unbelievable amount of backlash among Packers fans, but imagine Crabtree, Greg Jennings, Donald Driver, James Jones, and Nelson at Aaron Rodgers‘ disposal.  Imagine that offense against the Lions defense.

But besides choosing Crabtree, I was looking for Thompson to trade down.  Thompson traded out of the first round last year when the Packers “needed” a corner and there were corners on the board.  At No. 9 yesterday, there was a scramble under them for teams trying to trade up for Crabtree.  However, Thompson stuck to his guns and picked Raji.

This signals a change in Green Bay.  Thompson had always been a “best player available” guy.  But I don’t see how he could have had Raji over Crabtree on his draft board, in any way really.  Thompson drafted for need here (and later with Matthews, but I’m getting to that).  Thompson knows this is an important year for the Packers.  They have multiple free agents coming up after the 2009 season and he needs to give them a reason to stick around.  The problem with the team in 2008 was the defense.  The offense will put points up on the board, but it cannot win without the defense.  Thompson knows his offense is fine, but his defense needs help.

This need on defense led to the Packers actually trading up back into the first round.  The Patriots had already traded back to No. 26 from No. 23 as the Ravens traded up to get Michael Oher.  The Packers then packaged the trade to get No. 26 and select Matthews, the son of former NFL player Clay Matthews, Jr. and the nephew of former offensive lineman Bruce Matthews.  Both had long careers in the NFL, setting up an impressive lineage for the younger Matthews.  Clay III comes from a USC program that had amazing linebacking talent, as he played along side Houston Texans‘ draft pick Brian Cushing and new Cincinnati Bengal Rey Maualuga, who inexplicably slid into the second round.  Matthews walked-on to USC and redshirted his freshman year, setting up a great storyline for the player.  He plays with intensity to match that of his fellow USC linebackers.

The Matthews pick shows why the Raji pick at No. 9 was a great pick.  By picking Raji, the Packers get a nose tackle who can take up three gaps on the offensive line and tie up multiple blockers, freeing up Matthews and the rest of the linebacking corps.  If the Packers pick Orakpo at No. 9, the Packers have Ryan Pickett at nose tackle, who lacks Raji’s size and athleticism.  With Pickett at the nose, the Packers linebackers would be assaulted every play by large offensive lineman, pushing the defense back.  Raji allows the defense to make plays.  He won’t be getting glory and sacking the quarterback every play, but he will do the dirty work in the trenches.

Matthews will stop the run, allowing Kampman to focus on rushing the passer, while if the Packers had picked Orakpo, they would have had a surplus of pass rushers, allowing the defense to get shredded by the run.  Pairing Matthews and Raji together gives the Packers one of the most successful Day 1′s of any team in the league.  They drafted two cornerstones of their defense that is going through a transition.  The two of them will make the transition into Dom Capers‘ 3-4 scheme that much easier.  Both will have a lot to learn, but both will contribute for years to come.

The 41st pick the Packers traded to New England was used to select Darius Butler from Connecticut, while New England traded the 73rd to the Jacksonville Jaguars who selected Derek Cox out of William & Mary.  The 83rd pick has been used by New England to select Brandon Tate, a wide receiver from North Carlina, who’s coming off a major knee injury.

16 San Diego Chargers
(8-8) Knowshon Moreno, RB, Georgia
17 New York Jets
(9-7) Josh Freeman, QB, Kansas State
18 Denver Broncos
(9-7, Pick via Bears) Rey Maualuga, LB, USC
19 Tampa Bay Buccaneers
(9-7) Percy Harvin, WR, Florida
20 Detroit Lions
(9-7, Pick via Cowboys) Eben Britton, OT, Arizona
21 Philadelphia Eagles
(9-6-1) Darrius Heyward-Bey, WR, Maryland
22 Minnesota Vikings
(10-6) William Beatty, OT, Connecticut
23 New England Patriots
(11-6) Clay Matthews, OLB, USC
24 Atlanta Falcons
(11-5) Brian Cushing, OLB, USC
25 Miami Dolphins
(11-5) Clint Sintim, OLB, Virginia
26 Baltimore Ravens
(11-5) Kenny Britt, WR, Rutgers
27 Indianapolis Colts
12-4) Peria Jerry, DT, Mississippi
28 Buffalo Bills
(Pick via CAR, PHI) Brandon Pettigrew, TE, Oklahoma State
29 New York Giants
(12-4) Hakeem Nicks, WR, North Carolina
30 Tennessee Titans
(13-3) Larry English, OLB, Northern Illinois
31 Arizona Cardinals
(9-7) LeSean McCoy, RB, Pittsburgh 32 Pittsburgh Steelers
(12-4) Alex Mack, C, Cal

1. Lions: waynefontes.com — MATTHEW STAFFORD, QB, GEORGIA
2. Rams: turfshowtimes.com — EUGENE MONROE, OT, VIRGINIA
3. Chiefs: kcchiefsnews.com — AARON CURRY, LB, WAKE FOREST
4. Seahawks: davekriegsstrikebeard.com — MICHAEL CRABTREE, WR, TEXAS TECH
5. Browns: nologoneeded.com — REY MAUALUGA, LB, USC
6. Bengals: bengalstripes.com — JASON SMITH, OT, BAYLOR
7. Raiders: silverandblackpride.com — JEREMY MACLIN, WR, MISSOURI
8. Jaguars: jaguarsgab.com — B.J. RAJI, DT, BOSTON COLLEGE
9. Packers: lombardiave.com — BRIAN ORAKPO, DE/OLB, TEXAS
10. 49ers: ninersnation.com — EVERETTE BROWN, OLB, FLORIDA STATE
11. Bills: buffalorumblings.com — CLAY MATTHEWS, OLB, USC
12. Broncos: milehighreport.com — MALCOLM JENKINS, CB, OHIO STATE
13. Redskins: curlyr.blogspot.com  — ANDRE SMITH, OT, ALABAMA
14. Saints: canalstreetchronicles.com —  BRIAN CUSHING, OLB, USC
15. Texans: houstondiehards.com — MICHAEL OHER, OT, OLE MISS
16. Chargers: bolthype.com — EBEN BRITTON, OT, ARIZONA
17. Jets: thejetsblog.com — TYSON JACKSON, DE, LSU
18. Bears: blogdownchicagobears.com — DARRIUS HEYWARD-BEY, WR, MARYLAND
19. Buccaneers: bucem.com — PERCY HARVIN, WR, FLORIDA
20. Lions (from Dallas): waynefontes.com — AARON MAYBIN, DE, PENN STATE
21. Eagles: igglesblog.com — VONTAE DAVIS, CB, ILLINOIS
22. Vikings: vikingsragnarok.blogspot.com — MARK SANCHEZ, QB, USC
23. Patriots: patriotsdaily.com — KNOWSHON MORENO, RB, GEORGIA
24. Falcons: falcoholic.com —CLINT SINTIM, LB, VIRGINIA
25. Dolphins: thephinsider.com — LARRY ENGLISH, LB, NORTHERN ILLINOIS
26. Ravens: ebonybird.com —KENNY BRITT, WR, RUTGERS
27. Colts: 18to88.com — PERIA JERRY, DT, MISSISSIPPI STATE
28. Eagles (from Carolina): igglesblog.com — ALEX MACK, OL, CALIFORNIA
29. Giants: bigblue101.com — HAKEEM NICKS, WR, NORTH CAROLINA
30. Titans: musiccitymiracles.com — D.J. MOORE, CB, VANDERBILT
31. Cardinals: raisingzona.com — CHRIS WELLS, RB, OSU
32. Steelers: steelerstoday.com — FILI MOALA, DT, USC

Round 2 is starting now!

The Buccaneers blog, Buc ‘Em, has selected:

***Percy Harvin, WR, Flordia***

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers find themselves with a number of question marks entering the season. Will the new coaching staff succeed? Why couldn’t more be done with all that cap space? Are there too many holes in the roster? When it comes to the draft, the Bucs could go in a number of directions, but with this pick, they’re going with the best available athlete.

Even during the Super Bowl Championship year, the Bucs offense wasn’t explosive. Tampa Bay has had it’s moments, but never had an offense that struck fear into the hearts of opponents. By selecting Percy Harvin, they hope that can change. Harvin is a hybrid sort of player, but will most likely fit in as more of a traditional receiver. Sure he’ll get the occasional handoff or reverse, but don’t think his touches will be split as much as they were at the University of Florida.

At receiver, the Bucs already have their #1 guy – Antonio Bryant – and the player they hope can be their #2 – Michael Clayton. Harvin fits the role of game changer. He might not be an every down guy, but will create matchup problems for the defense and could be used as the motion receiver a lot.

Despite injury problems in college, Harvin was never truly seriously hurt. He didn’t miss significant amounts of time and given the fact that he will be used in more of a complimentary role in the NFL, he could be a great pickup at this point in the first round. Based on talent alone, Harvin is one of the top players in this year’s draft.

The Bucs offense needs someone that can take it the distance. And that is something Harvin can provide. With a power running game, a clear cut #1 receiver, and a young, but improving offensive line, Harvin will be a welcome change of pace that could keep opponents guessing.

Who knows if this is the route the Bucs will go on Draft Day, we had the opportunity to select QB Mark Sanchez, QB Josh Freeman, or DT Peria Jerry, but we stayed true to our word and went with the Buc ‘Em Community collective choice.

With the 20th pick of the 2009 Draft, the Detroit Lions (via the Dallas Cowboys) select:

Aaron Maybin, DE, Penn State University

Though offensive tackle could be addressed at the 20 spot, at this point of the draft, the Lions absolutely have to draft for the defensive side of the ball (Plus there has been a run on OT’s in this mock). To be blunt, they could draft a player at 20 who plays ANY defensive position, and it would fill a Detroit need. The Lions’ defense was truly that bad in 2008. Legendarily, shockingly, regime killing bad.

Middle linebacker is a HUGE need, so tOSU’s James Laurientus was heavily considered with this pick. But he could very likely be available with the first pick of the 2nd round, as Laurientus has been dropping on draft boards and mock drafts all across the NFL. I was hoping USC LB Rey Maualuga would be available at 20, but he surprisingly went in the top 5 of this mock.

The Lions also have big time needs on the defensive line, and I was even more surprised to see Aaron Maybin, the DE out of Penn State, still on the board.  The Lions desperately need a pass rush, and Maybin is a pure speed rusher, though a bit raw. But he scouts out as a breakout type talent, the best player off the snap in this draft and the best pass rusher available, period. 

The Lions have lacked a big time pass rushing end for over 2 decades (Finding an end “Who could block out the sun” was Wayne Fontes‘ obsession, his white whale, so to speak). The last Lions defensive end to honestly put fear in the the eyes of opposition quarterbacks was Al “Bubba” Baker back in the early-mid 80′s. Yes, it’s been that long…

Maybin is the sort of talent the Lions can build around.  He could be head coach Jim Schwartz‘s Detroit version of “The Freak”, Javon Kearse, whom terrorized offenses from defensive end during Schwartz’s first 3 seasons as defensive coordinator (2001-03) in Tennessee. Maybin would also bookend nicely with one of the Lions’ few legitimate NFL defenders, end Dewayne White. Add Cliff Averil to the mix, who showed signs of being a solid contributor in his rookie season with 5 sacks, and the Lions would actually have a defensive position which could be considered a strength.

Maybin may have the biggest upside (I know, it’s a cliche, but true in his case) of any defensive player in this draft. My only concern is size, as Maybin is on the smallish side, and Schwartz is on record saying he wants a bigger and stronger defense under his watch.  But Maybin’s a born pass rusher, and is the sort of player who could be a true impact defender in a few years. Impact players have been far and few between in Detroit for quite some time. 

The Lions would be THRILLED if a player with Maybin’s natural talent is available with the 20th pick.

The Philadelphia Eagles are on the clock.

With the 21st pick of the 2009 NFL Draft, the Philadelphia Eagles select:

Vontae Davis, CB, Illinois

Say what now?  A cornerback?  And one with character issues to boot?

Yes.  Yes, indeed.

Davis is the perfect Andy Reid draft choice:

He plays a high-value position in which first-round athleticism makes a huge difference.

No one sees the pick coming.

On its face, the pick is completely inexplicable.

But what about offensive line (you ask).  Or tight end?  Or running back?  Or all the other places the Eagles have actual needs?  Not cornerback, where we have a Pro Bowler, a solid starter, a very wealthy nickel man and a “first-round talent” prospect coming off a knee injury.

Let me explain.  First of all, as a cornerback, Davis is very, very good.  He’s also — for a cornerback — very, very big.  The brother of Vernon Davis is a physical freak.  You don’t find many 6-0, 200-pound guys who can turn and run with most wide receivers.  Can I get a “Plaxico Burress” anyone?

Secondly, everyone remembers the story of how the Eagles drafted Lito Sheppard and Sheldon Brown even though they already had Troy Vincent and Bobby Taylor locked in as starters.  What most people don’t realize is that Sheldon Brown is now older than Taylor was when his replacement was drafted (and only one year younger that Vincent was at the same time.) 

Cornerbacks don’t age well.  You can never have enough guys around to keep pushing them.

Now, with that said, the other intriguing thing about Davis is that he may actually project to FS at the next level.  He’s a born hitter, loves contact, and his “tremendous athleticism” at the cornerback position would translate to “Hall of Fame caliber athleticism” at the safety position. 

New SS Sean Jones is a one-year stopgap, we still don’t know for sure what we have in Quintin Demps, and Quintin Mikell turns 29 later this year.  Another safety prospect would not be a bad thing to have around.

The final interesting note is that Davis’ Pro Day is today at Illinois.  Depending on the numbers he puts up then, the idea that he’ll be around at #20 is quite possibly a pipe dream.  But I’ll take him for now.

The Minnesota Vikings are on the clock.

With the 22nd Pick of the 2009 NFL Draft, the Minnesota Vikings select:

Mark Sanchez, QB, USC

Going into this mock draft, I expected to have to justify why I chose not to draft Josh Freeman, who is generally considered the third best quarterback available.  By my count, there were about 9 teams that could reasonably take Mark Sanchez due to the age of their “franchise” QB or due to their lack of a franchise QB (Detroit, St. Louis, Seattle, Jacksonville, San Francisco, Denver, New York Jets, Chicago, Tampa Bay) before the Vikings picked.  Instead, it looks like I’m going to have decide whether Mark Sanchez is the answer to the Vikings’ long standing quarterback issue (or is juicy enough to tempt the Broncos to trade Jay Cutler for him) or whether the Vikings should address their needs at cornerback or offensive line.  And after thinking back to the last two years, the answer is clear—if Mark Sanchez is available, the Vikings should draft him.

First off, it’s quite clear that the Vikings need a real franchise quarterback.  Tarvaris Jackson is never going to be that good and Sage Rosenfels is already 31 years old.  Secondly, I believe that Mark Sanchez is the best quarterback available in the draft because he’s got enough arm strength for the pros, he’s more accurate than Matt Stafford and he’s shown the ability to read coverages that Freeman never had to in Kansas State’s spread offense.

Sanchez has the arm strength and the accuracy to succeed in the NFL and he has the background in a Pro-Style offense that will allow him to quickly adapt to the pros.  He completed 64.27% of his passes in his 16 games at USC, more than any other first round quarterback.  He can throw the ball deep accurately (forcing defenses to only put eight in the box to stop Adrian Peterson) and he has the touch needed for the short throws as well, a necessity in Brad Childress’ West Coast Offense.  Also, Sanchez has all the intangibles you’d want in your quarterback, which he showed by getting elected captain last year and when he stuck it out at USC despite getting beat out by John David Booty for the starting position in 2006.

I know there are some doubts about Sanchez due to his lack of starting experience, the talent surrounding him, his height and the fact he was somewhat turnover prone, throwing ten interceptions and fumbling seven times.  The doubts are enough for me to hope that he’s taken before the Vikings’ pick, but they aren’t enough to let me pass on him for another player (especially with 5 offensive tackles already off the board).  So the Vikings’ finally have their franchise quarterback.  Hopefully.

The New England Patriots are on the clock.

There we go folks.  Getting into the nitty-gritty with this draft now.

With the third pick of the 2009 NFL draft, the Kansas City Chiefs select:

Aaron Curry, OLB, Wake Forest

Having addressed their quarterback need in the Matt Cassel trade, look for the Chiefs to address the other side of the ball with the third overall pick.  Todd Haley could be tempted to draft a wide receiver ([Michael] Crabtree) given his coaching history but linebacker remains their most pressing need on defense, besides defensive end.  This being a weak draft for defensive end, linebacker Aaron Curry is the most logical pick for the Chiefs. 

The Chiefs have declined to re-sign starting linebackers Rocky Boiman and Pat Thomas and have released veteran Donnie Edwards making them somewhat thin at the position.  They have traded for Mike Vrabel, which would obviously be a great mentor for the young Curry. 

The Wake Forest product is an absolute must if the Chiefs plan to move to a 3-4 defense, Curry on one side and Derrick Johnson on the other would provide the necessary pass rushing personnel for a team that set the record for the least amount of sacks in a season. 

The Seattle Seahawks are on the clock.

With the fourth pick of the 2009 NFL Draft, the Seattle Seahawks select:

Michael Crabtree, WR, Texas Tech

I don’t really like college football. Any sport that doesn’t have a
playoff system won’t easily win my attention or respect, so I don’t follow
the game that closely. Under normal circumstances, I’d tell you that blogs
like Field Gulls, Seahawk Addicts or Seahawks Draft Blog could give you a
better, more informed opinion than I could.

But these are not normal circumstances, and Michael Crabtree is not a
typical player. Even after addressing our desperate need at WR by signing
T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Seattle will select the best player available: The
game-breaking Crabtree.

As an NFC West fan, I get to watch Larry Fitzgerald torch my Seahawks
twice a year. In 2008, I got the added bonus of watching Fitz almost carry
Arizona to a World Championship. Housh isn’t Fitz. Neither is [Deion] Branch or
[Nate] Burleson… Hell, even Steve Largent wasn’t the dominant big-play threat
that Fitzgerald is right now.

Even with his foot surgery, and even after being revealed as 6’1″ instead
of 6’3″, drafting Crabtree is the best shot the Seahawks will have over
the next few years to get “their Fitzgerald.”

Selecting Crabtree isn’t just a “build for the future” move, either. With
Housh across from him, a (hopefully) healthy Branch in the slot, budding
Pro-Bowler John Carlson at TE, and Matt Hasselbeck throwing the ball,
Crabtree could make an immediate impact as Seattle’s “home run” threat.

The Seahawks aim to return to the top of the NFC West in 2009. Michael
Crabtree is the player most likely to help make that happen in this year’s
draft class.

Our hosts, the Cleveland Browns, are on the clock.

With the fifth pick in the draft, the Cleveland Browns select:

***Rey Maualuga, LB, USC*** 

A big reason behind why we decided to start this mock draft was because we were annoyed at the national media. Most mock drafts on the NFL Network and ESPN has the Browns selecting Malcolm Jenkins.

Sure, the Browns need help on defense and the secondary was inconsistent, but the cornerback position is the least of the team’s problems. In 2008, the Browns defense allowed an average of 151.9 yards rushing per game. The Browns lost to the Bengals 14-0 on Dec. 21 as Cedric Benson ran for 171 yards on 38 carries and back-up quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick was 5-for-9 passing for 55 yards.

First and foremost, the Browns need to look to trade down and obtain some more draft picks. This will prove impossible since that’s the goal of most teams. The Browns also would be interested in Aaron Curry, but he is long gone.
 
With new coach Eric Mangini, the Browns will stick with the 3-4. So linebacker is the Browns’ biggest need in the draft.  The Browns need an edge pass rusher to fill Willie McGinest‘s position, but outside linebacker is one of the deepest positions in this draft.  That brings us to the void in the middle of the defense left by the departure of Andra Davis.

Maualuga is a nasty middle linebacker, the type of player that can bring attitude to a defense that sorely needs an identity. He is built perfectly to line up in the 3-4.  Peter King called him Ray Lewis, Jr. and Jon Gruden said Maualuga is the type of player to build a defense around.

Maualuga is known for his big hits and aggressive style of play. That should fit perfectly on the strong side of the Browns 3-4 defense next to D’Qwell Jackson. Pairing Jackson’s sideline-to-sideline speed with Maualuga’s power behind the mammoth Shaun Rogers, should make the Browns strong up the middle and help them slow down the opposition’s rushing attack.
 
Can you name a Pro Bowl defensive lineman or cornerback from the successful 3-4 defense in Pittsburgh? In Baltimore? No. But you can reel off a list of who’s who of linebackers.  It’s time the Browns start making the some names of their own.

Our AFC North rivals south on I-71, the Cincinnati Bengals, are on the clock.

Three more picks until the Packers are up on the clock.  Who is going to be there for us?