YR's Final Mock Draft

Here's my final mock. The first round picks for Dallas is below, but here's my other picks:


2nd Round - Kenny Phillips S Miami

3rd Round - Jeremy Zuttah OG/C Rutgers

4th Round - Peyton Hillis FB Arkansas

5th Round - Nick Hayden DT Wisconsin

6th Round - Colt Brennan QB Hawaii

7th Round - Danny Woodhead RB Chadron State.

Miami Dolphins – Jake Long OT Michigan

As a second rate draftnick it’s always good to see the first overall pick to be signed before the draft to get an idea of where the draft is going to go. It appears to me that the Fins want to stick with JOHN BECK, since they already have him, he does have some talent and he’s relatively cheap for a QB with talent. Reminds me a lot of the way PARCELLS waited for TONY ROMO because even if ROMO was a decent starter, he would clearly be outplaying his cheap contract. I’ve got a feeling they’ll take CB ANTOINE CASON in round 2, as PARCELLS IRELAND loves players whose dads were either coaches or former players in the league.


St. Louis Rams – Chris Long DE Virginia

I’m not a big CHRIS LONG fan because he’s a tweener and I think way too much is being made out of the bloodlines thing. I’d like LONG more if I had seen him beat tackles consistently off the edge, instead I saw a high motor guy that bulled over tackles or got coverage sacks and he just never gave up on the play. That’s fine if you can do that, but it’s not going to happen at 267 pounds in the NFL. Reminds me a bit of DAVID POLLACK, but even POLLACK could beat guys off the edge. ADAM CARRIKER is supposedly weighing in at 315 pounds which means he’s likely staying at defensive tackle. I doubt they’ll take DT two years in a row, LONG has the bloodlines that scouts gush over and does have versatility which always helps stock. I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Rams get LONG, use him at DE on first and second downs, and then try and move him inside on nickel packages.


Atlanta Falcons – Glenn Dorsey DT LSU

I think MATT RYAN doesn’t have the talent that they want to draft him here and DORSEY is arguably the best player in the draft and one of the best DT’s the draft has seen in awhile. They’ll probably go QB in round 2 or trade up to get a QB late in round one. If I were them, I’d try to get BROHM. But the scouts really seem to be creaming themselves over a very average college QB in CHAD HENNE and a raw talent in JOE FLACCO.


Oakland Raiders – Darren McFadden RB Arkansas

While I love MCFADDEN, if the Raiders were smart they would look at offensive tackle, like RYAN CLADY here since they have something like 7 O-Linemen on their entire roster and outside of COOPER CARLISLE, none of them are worth a damn. But, these are the Rai-duhs and AL DAVIS just does not pass up on 5 star talent.


Kansas City Chiefs – Ryan Clady OT Boise State

The Chiefs needs are at O-Line, DE, and corner. Could go with VERNON GHOLSTON here, but I think they go with CLADY, a more sure pick.
New York Jets – Vernon Gholston DE/LB Ohio State

I’m sort of guessing the Jets are going to stick with KRIS JENKINS to take over the DT spot. I could see them taking SEDRICK ELLIS, but pass rushers usually come over DT’s come draft day.


New England Patriots – Leodis McKelvin CB Troy

One thing I know about the Pats is that they almost exclusively prefer players who have graduated from college. MCKELVIN is set to graduate this semester and so is KEITH RIVERS, but I can’t recall the last time the Patriots took a young LB in, so it’s obvious that BELICHICK wants experience at linebacker. Plus, unless BELICHICK is moving to a full time 1 gap scheme, I don’t think RIVERS fits in their 2- gap stuff. Also, BELICHICK loves versatile players and he gets that with MCKELVIN who is also a great punt returner.


Baltimore Ravens – Matt Ryan QB Boston College

The Ravens have been high on RYAN and were concerned that they would need to trade up to get him, but RYAN is drafted at a bad time as teams are leery about paying huge rookie signing bonuses for QB’s and his talent really doesn’t warrant $30 million + in most scouts eyes.


Cincinnati Bengals – Sedrick Ellis DT USC

I think they either go after ELLIS, GHOLSTON or DERRICK HARVEY here.


New Orleans Saints – Dominique Rogers-Cromartie CB Tennessee State

Saints may trade up for GLENN DORSEY or SEDRICK ELLIS, but if not they’ll address the other need at CB with either MCKELVN or ROGERS-CROMARTIE (I prefer the latter CB).


Buffalo Bills – Devin Thomas WR Michigan State

May go after a CB or DE (i.e. HARVEY) here, but I think they’ll take THOMAS as they need a WR and the WR class isn’t too hot this year.


Denver Broncos – Chris Williams OT Vanderbilt

Denver usually doesn’t go high on O-Linemen, but the ALEX GIBBS era is far removed from Denver and they need somebody to replace the greatly underrated MATT LEPSIS who retired this year. I think they want CLADY, so they may trade up, but would probably take WILLIAMS as well.


Carolina Panthers – Derrick Harvey DE Florida

Panthers had almost zero pass rush last year which isn’t John Fox’s style. They don’t have to go after an offensive tackle here because TRAVELLE WHARTON can still play the weakside bookend spot. They’ve been high on HARVEY, CHRIS WILLIAMS and BRANDEN ALBERT.


Chicago Bears – Branden Albert OT/OG Virginia

The Bears will probably try to trade down as WILE E. ANGELO always try to pull that move each draft. Then they’ll probably draft some rather unknown from some small school in the second round so ANGELO can show off to the world how smart he is. It’s not smart if the guys can’t play, it’s just mind numbingly predictable. What the Bears need to do is roofie up ANGELO and stuff him in the trunk of an ’89 Fiero and revive him for the second round to do the drafting from there on in. Don’t be surprised with the picks here, Bears could go after a safety (i.e. KENNY PHILLIPS) or a DE (HARVEY).



Detroit Lions – Rashard Mendenhall RB Illinois

I think it’s either MENDENHALL or JEROD MAYO here, but I hae MENDENHALL rated higher, so that knocks out MAYO. Could go after KEITH RIVERS here as well, but he doesn’t fit what they really need.


Arizona Cardinals – Jonathan Stewart RB Oregon

Could go after a corner here like MIKE JENKINS or perhaps AQIB TALIB. STEWART gets rave reviews from scouts, although I’m concerned about his ability to make defenders miss. He does have the toe injury, but he should be fine by training camp.


Kansas City Chiefs – Keith Rivers LB USC

They have a bigger need at CB and DE here, but with the Chiefs trying to accumulate so many picks that usually means that they will just pile up on Best Player Available picks. That would belong to RIVERS, a terrific linebacker who is best manning the weakside LB spot. DONNIE EDWARDS plays that position now, but he’s up there in age and can move to the MIKE LB spot if needed.


Houston Texans – Mike Jenkins CB USF

Texans need another DE (HARVEY), a LT (WILLIAMS, ALBERT or CLADY) and defensive backs.


Philadelphia Eagles – Jeff Otah OT Pittsburgh

ANDY REID luvs him some huge O-Linemen and if you’re not playing at about 330+ pounds, no need to apply.


Tampa Bay Buccaneers – James Hardy WR Indiana

The Bucs are looking for some explosiveness on offense and I see them going WR because they do have a stockpile of RB’s at this point. HARDY isn’t the fastest cat out there, so they might take a look at making a reach and getting DESEAN JACKSON, but HARDY was incredibly productive in college.


Washington Redskins – Malcolm Kelly WR Oklahoma

Rumor has it that they want out of here and may trade for Detroit WR ROY WILLIAMS or even trade up. If they can’t make a move, I think it comes down to either KELLY or PHILLIP MERLING, both of whom they just worked out this week. They seem to be really insistent on finding JASON CAMPBELL a tall, physical receiver and I’m guessing that they feel their needs are on offense instead of defense. Not to mention they have a new offensive minded head coach that is changing offensive schemes here.


Dallas Cowboys – Felix Jones RB Arkansas

I thought it was interesting that the Cowboys traded away ANTHONY FASANO and AKIN AYODELE for a 4th round pick. Something tells me that if MCFADDEN does slip past the Jets, then the Cowboys will start to look at making a trade and using that 4th rounder as part of the package. Then they’ll probably make some more trades in order to get 7 picks in the draft, as that’s usually the minimum amount of picks that JERRY JONES strives for.


Pittsburgh Steelers – Kentwan Balmer DT UNC

BALMER is a nice pick because he can play inside in the 1 gap and DE in the 2-gap. If MIKE TOMLIN sticks around in Pittsburgh, I do believe they’ll eventually go to his coveted 4-3 Cover 2 scheme.


Tennessee Titans – Phillip Merling DE Clemson

One thing I noticed about the Titans staff over the years, guys like Floyd Reece, Jeff Fisher, etc. They LUV to talk about running backs. Any time a conversation is brought up about receivers and tight ends, they’ll immediately go into talking about tailbacks. The Titans have never had that prolific receiver for years since they moved to Tennessee an have had two running QB’s in STEVE MCNAIR and VINCE YOUNG. So I don’t see them going WR here and instead see them taking MERLING to replace ANTWAN ODOM (who left for Cincy).


Seattle Seahawks – Brian Brohm QB Louisville

It would be a shame if BROHM got passed up on for either CHAD HENNE or JOE FLACCO, neither are the QB he is.


Jacksonville Jaguars – Jerod Mayo LB Tennessee

Could use some help on the D-Line, but MAYO is too highly rated here and fits another hole for the Jags. Heckuva player.


San Diego Chargers – Gosder Cherilus OT Boston College

Need somebody to replace SHANE OLIVEA, whom they released last season.


Dallas Cowboys – Brandon Flowers CB Virginia Tech

I’m putting this pick in the hands of ESPN hack MATT MOSELY who claims Dallas luvs FLOWERS.


San Francisco 49ers – Quentin Groves DE/LB Auburn

MANNY LAWSON hasn’t really worked out for them and they’ve give GROVES a hard look.


Green Bay Packers – Aqib Talib CB Kansas

Packers like playmakers with size. Physicality is a bit of a tricky thing as CHARLES WOODSON has generally been a weak tackler in his career, but he’s a playmaker with good size and can run. TALIB is very similar, although very raw.


New England Patriots – Forfeited (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SmFgVWa0GY8)


New York Giants – Tyrell Johnson S Arkansas State
G-Men do need to look at offensive tackle as KAREEM MCKENZIE isn’t getting younger and DAVID DIEHL led the league in sacks allowed last year. But they also need a safety as well. I like KENNY PHILLIPS better, but something tells me that COUGHLIN isn’t a fan of former MIAMI players (I could be dead wrong).