Time to celebrate! It's our first ever attempt at a Mock Draft! We've poured over all of our rankings, perused the web, spent hours in our central Ohio war room, and collaborated for this special Mock Draft. Here's a quick word on how this works - each of the three of us will take turns drafting for each team. We'll then tell you who we'll pick at that spot, (no trades allowed, hey this is complicated enough). And then, we'll see who gets the most picks right on draft day for RSS Braggin Rights! Mr. Yoder I's picks are in green, Mr. Yoder II's in blue, and Brother Yohey's in orange. Let's Get Ready To MOCK!
1) St. Louis Rams (1-15) - Needs: QB/WR/CB... basically everything
PICK: Sam Bradford (QB-Oklahoma)
-While the Rams have passed on Matt Ryan and Mark Sanchez in the past, they can't pass up this opportunity to finally get a franchise QB. They'll do that this year with Sam Bradford.
2) Detroit Lions (2-14) - Needs: OL/DT/RB
PICK: Ndamukong Suh (DT-Nebraska)
-The best player in the 2010 Draft goes #2 to the Lions. Jim Schwartz has to be thrilled to pick up the best defensive player to come along in quite some time. There is some talk of Detroit picking an offensive tackle, but Suh is such a dominant force that he simply cannot be passed up in this spot. Watch the tape of the Big XII title game and tell me the Lions should take anyone else.
3) Tampa Bay Bucs (3-13) - Needs: DT/DE/FS
PICK: Gerald McCoy (DT-Oklahoma)
-Certainly not a bad consolation prize for the Bucs, who have been looking for a dominant presence on the D-line since Warren Sapp. McCoy certainly has the tools and potential to be just as good, if not better than Suh, and will make life difficult for opposing division QBs Drew Brees and Matt Ryan from Day 1.
4) Washington Redskins (4-12) - Needs: OL/FS/to win now
PICK: Russell Okung (OT-Oklahoma St)
- After the recent trade for McNabb to shore up the QB position the 'Skins can look to replace the departed Chris Samuels at LT and Okung fits the bill as the best OL in the draft.
5) Kansas City Chiefs (4-12) - Needs: T/LB/SS
PICK: Eric Berry (S-Tennessee)
-I think this is the first curveball of the draft. The Chiefs need playmakers more than anything. The depth of offensive linemen in this draft leads me to believe they could take a quality tackle in Round 2. In Round 1 they go with the best player available - and that is clearly Eric Berry.
6) Seattle Seahwaks (5-11) - Needs: T/Skill Players
PICK: Trent Williams (T-Oklahoma)
-The run on linemen begins in earnest with Pete Carroll drafting the replacement for Walter Jones. Williams is one of the most athletic linemen in the draft and should have no problem playing left tackle. This also could be a spot where Pete Carroll reaches for a C.J. Spiller or Dez Bryant, if he gets nervous about either being available at 14.
7) Cleveland Browns (5-11) - Needs: Everything, including a coach
PICK: Earl Thomas (S-Texas)
- My compatriots may consider this a reach but Cleveland is in desperate need of a safety and Thomas will suit the bill. He has the versatility to play some CB if it is needed but should patrol the secondary well. ***Note*** Possible trade spot here for someone infatuated with Claussen.
8) Oakland Raiders (5-11) - Needs: T/DT/QB/sanity
PICK: Bruce Campbell (T-Maryland)
-Well, we know Al Davis is going to make a dumb pick here of somebody that has "measurables" and will be a workout warrior. Nobody fits that description better than Campbell, ironically a teammate of current and future Raider bust Darrius Heyward-Bey.
9) Buffalo Bills (6-10) - Needs: WR/QB/DL
PICK: Bryan Bulaga (T-Iowa)
-The Bills will be tempted to pick Jimmy Clausen, but for some reason I see Chan Gailey more concerned with protecting the poo poo platter that is currently entrenched at QB in Buffalo. Plus, Bulaga would be the last man standing from the run on left tackles and would instantly upgrade the Bills run attack.
10) Jacksonville Jaguars (7-9) - Needs: Secondary/QB/fans
PICK: Derrick Morgan (DE-Ga Tech)
- No, the Jags won't get Tebow with this pick because that would be a Raider-like reach. They will play it safe and inject some new blood in the DL with Morgan. Rumors are also swirling that the Jags want to desperately trade down as well.
11) Denver Broncos (8-8) - Needs: C/ILB/WR
PICK: Rolando McClain (LB-Alabama)
-Denver's D fell to pieces last season down the stretch. They need somebody to captain the ship, and with a gaping hole in the middle of the defense, Alabama's defensive leader fits what the Broncos need desperately. I can't see Denver going Dez Bryant, seeing as how some consider him a character concern, so defense is the pick.
12) Miami Dolphins (7-9) - Needs: LB/DT/WR
PICK: Jason Pierre-Paul (DE-USF)
-Miami desperately needs a pass-rusher with the loss of Jason Taylor in free agency, and no DE has more potential upside than Pierre-Paul. While his college numbers aren't prolific, he has more raw athletic ability than any other lineman, definitely a boom or bust pick here.
13) San Francisco 49ers (8-8) - Needs: T/CB/FS
PICK: Anthony Davis (T-Rutgers)
- With the departure of Tony Pashos to Cleveland the Niners need someone to step into the RT spot and help keep Alex Smith clean. They do need help at the skill positions, but this is a team that will build inside out.
14) Seattle Seahawks (5-11) - Needs: T/Skill players
PICK: C.J. Spiller (RB-Clemson)
-Possibly the easiest pick of Round 1. Seattle needs a big time running back like the Knicks need LeBron James. Spiller is the most explosive, complete back in the draft, and an absolute gift for Seattle at Pick #14. He'll join fellow Clemson grad Charlie Whitehurst in the northwest... well... at least one of those looks promising.
15) New York Giants (8-8) - Needs: LB/CB/DL
PICK: Sean Weatherspoon (LB-Mizzou)
-Weatherspoon is a player who has been rocketing up draft boards since the end of the college football season. At Mizzou, Weatherspoon was always a defensive leader and dynamic playmaker, but concerns about his "measurables" had him closer to the 2nd round than middle of the 1st. But, looking to replace Antonio Pierce, the GMen will be quite happy to take Weatherspoon at 15.
16) Tennessee Titans (8-8) - Needs: DE/CB/WR
PICK: Dez Bryant (WR-Oklahoma St)
- The surprise move of the draft. If this is Vince Young's resurgence we are witnessing he is going to need another playmaker at the WR position to supplement Chris Johnson's running skills. Bryant can supply that need for Vince and help the Titan offense.
17) San Francisco 49ers (8-8) - Needs: T/CB/FS
PICK: Joe Haden (CB-Florida)
-San Francisco is taking a risk here by not taking Haden at #13 and taking the best of the rest linemen, but with no teams in front of them having a pressing need at corner and Haden slipping slightly down some boards, they still meet a need and get a great player at #17. Starting at this pick though, I could see any of the next 10-12 selections traded away for someone looking to take a shot at a QB in the latter half of R1.
18) Pittsburgh Steelers (9-7) - Needs: OL/DL/CB/Sex Rehab Counselors?
PICK: Mike Iupati (G-Idaho)
-After trading Santonio Holmes, the Steelers would love Dez Bryant to fall to them. But, with this position being too early for the next WR, the Steelers look to shoring up their porous offensive line with the solid, if unheralded Iupati from Idaho. Hey, even if Iupati doesn't pan out, Big Ben could stick some of his bodyguards on the O-line, at least we know they can fend off drunken high school girls!
19) Atlanta Falcons (9-7) - Needs: DE/CB/OLB
PICK: Brandon Graham (DE/OLB-Michigan)
- The Falcons are going to need some young talent to rush from the ends and get some pressure on the QB's and Graham will be able to do that. He displayed the "Tweener" abilities at Michigan and will be able to showcase that in the NFL.
20) Houston Texans (9-7) - Needs: CB/RB/S
PICK: Kyle Wilson (CB-Boise St)
-With Dunta Robinson gone, Houston needs a replacement at cornerback. They very well could go running back, but it has been the defense that has held the Texans out of the playoffs. They need a lockdown corner and Wilson showed that he was one of the nation's best at Boise St. Wilson routinely made big plays in Boise's biggest games and can do the same for Houston.
21) Cincinnati Bengals (10-6) - Needs: TE/WR/S
PICK: Jermaine Gresham (TE-Oklahoma)
-This may be the lock of the 1st round. With a young and improving defense, the Bengals clearly need to add more weapons around Carson Palmer. Despite injury keeping him out for all of last season, he's still the only tight end who can be a top-tier threat in the passing game.
22) New England Patriots (10-6) - Needs: OLB/DE/Skill
PICK: Ryan Mathews (RB-Fresno St)
- A sneaky pick by Belichick with Mathews. Maroney hasn't lived up to his potential and the Pats need a solid #1 RB and Mathews has that potential. It may not be on many pundit's radars but the Pats will look hard at Mathews.
23) Green Bay Packers (11-5) - Needs: OLB/CB/T
PICK: Sergio Kindle (DE/LB-Texas)
-Losing Aaron Kampman makes the OLB spot in the 3-4 a glaring need for the Packers. Granted, that switch really didn't work anyways... but, Green Bay has a chance to fit a natural player in that position with Kindle. Green Bay could also go secondary here, but with Wilson and Haden gone, Kindle represents the best value and adds another horse to Green Bay's front 7.
24) Philadelphia Eagles (11-5) - Needs: OLB/DE/C
PICK: Maurkice Pouncey (G/C-Florida)
-Pouncey is considered one of the safer picks of the 1st Round and the only elite player in this draft that can play center at the next level. He could go much earlier than 24, but with Andy Reid stockpiling young talent on offense, there is no way he will pass up a prospect like Pouncey to help Kevin Kolb even more.
25) Baltimore Ravens (9-7) - Needs: CB/DT/TE
PICK: Devin McCourty (CB-Rutgers)
- An aging Raven secondary will need McCourty to step in and play to keep the defense as good as it has been all these years.
26) Arizona Cardinals (10-6) - Needs: LB/T/QB?
PICK: Carlos Dunlap (DE-Florida)
-Dunlap is a huuuuge character risk. Probably the biggest of the 1st round considering the stupid decision he made to drive drunk before the SEC Championship. Nevertheless, someone will take a chance on him considering his ability at DE. The Cards always need help on defense and getting someone to take down the QB seems like a good idea.
27) Dallas Cowboys (11-5) - Needs: T/S/G
PICK: Taylor Mays (S-USC)
-If Taylor Mays falls this far, Jerry Jones will be doing cartwheels in the Cowboys war room. Say what you will about Mays's durability or coverage ability, but an athletic, hard-hitting safety will be too good to pass up for a Cowboys team with a big need at that position.
28) San Diego Chargers (13-3) - Needs: DT/RB/CB
PICK: Javhid Best (RB-Cal)
- LT's departure opens up the need for a RB and Best will move within the state to team with Sproles to make the Charger backfield more dangerous. He's more of a threat than some of the other running backs on the board.
29) New York Jets (9-7) - Needs: DT/OLB/WR
PICK: Jerry Hughes (OLB-TCU)
-I originally had Golden Tate here, but the Santonio Holmes trade means the Jets will look at the 3-4 OLB position and go with the rising Hughes. Vernon Gholston is my guy, but without a sack in his short career, the Jets need to bring in another option. Hughes is another workout phenom - but played with a terrific defense at TCU and will step into another one with gang green.
30) Minnesota Vikings (12-4) - Needs: S/CB/QB
PICK: Jimmy Clausen (QB-Notre Dame)
-Ok, so assuming Clausen is available at this point, which is unlikely because he'd be snapped up by a trade in the early to mid 20s, this is the surprise of the night. Since trying to forecast a mock draft with trades would involve several days and a slide ruler, Minnesota is the landing spot for the Irish golden boy. Here he can fetch Brett Favre's strained prunes for a couple of years while taking orders from Chili. If Clausen is gone, the Vikes will look to the secondary and maybe Kareem Jackson of Alabama.
31) Indianapolis Colts (14-2) - Needs: CB/S/T
PICK: Nate Allen (S-USF)
- As much as Indy fans love Bob Sanders he hasn't displayed the ability to stay healthy as of late and it is time for Indy to develop a young Safety. It may be a slight reach but they can give Allen time to develop and prosper.
32) New Orleans Saints (13-3) - Needs: OLB/DE/DT
PICK: Brian Price (DT-UCLA)
-Yes, as a Saints fan, I've watched the Youtube highlights of the NFC Championship and Super Bowl about 457 times... and it never gets old. The defending champs have a few needs on defense thanks to some departures so far this offseason. Signing Alex Brown (and possibly Jimmy Wilkerson as well) removes the pressing need at DE. That means the Saints simply must go DT or OLB with this selection at the end of Round 1. I'm going with Price because he matches up well with Sed Ellis in the middle of the Saints D to help stop the run and there are more options in house at OLB. Also, I had a dream about the Saints picking a defensive tackle from UCLA with their 1st pick - and this was before I knew who Brian Price was... yes, I need medical help.
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