Three rounds w/ some explanations

[cubuffsman78]

I did a massive three round mock, but there is a 10,000 character limit on posts on here now. Mine had 36k. So here's one with very few explanations. I explained the picks that would obviously draw the most questions. So instead, I give you four rounds. I'll have a seven rounder just before draft day.

First Rnd
1 DOLPHINS Chris Long LB Virgnia

2 RAMS Glenn Dorsey DT LSU
(He had a great pro day and is back at the top of the draft board. I don't think he gets out of the top 3 now.)

3 FALCONS Matt Ryan QB Boston College

4 RAIDERS Darren McFadden RB Arkansas

5 CHIEFS Jake Long OT Michigan

6 JETS Vernon Gholston LB Ohio St.

7 PATRIOTS (SF) Leodis McKelvin CB Troy

8 RAVENS Ryan Clady OT Boise St.

9 BENGALS Sedrick Ellis DT USC

10 SAINTS Keith Rivers LB USC

11 BILLS Devin Thomas WR Michigan St.
(This could be seen as a reach, but I think Thomas is the best WR prospect in this draft and Buffalo seems determined to take a WR with its first pick. They're inviting several for visits. All signs point to WR as the pick. Malcolm Kelly is finally having a pro day workout Wednesday. I'm not a huge fan of him regardless of his performance based on what he did on the field. However, I can't deny his potential, but I want to see how he performs first.)

12 BRONCOS Chris Williams OT Vanderbilt

13 PANTHERS Derrick Harvey DE Florida

14 BEARS Rashard Mendenhall RB Illinois

15 LIONS Dan Connor LB Penn St.

16 CARDINALS Aqib Talib CB Kansas

17 VIKINGS Dominique Rodgers CB Tennessee St.

18 TEXANS Mike Jenkins CB South Florida

19 EAGLES Mario Manningham WR Michigan
(My WR rankings obviously look different now. I don't think Manningham gets out of the first round. I rank him second in my WR rankings. He fixed his biggest problems at his pro day and his on field performance and production speaks for itself. There isn't a better big play wide receiver in this draft.)

20 BUCCS Brian Brohm QB Louisville

21 REDSKINS Kenny Phillips S Miami

22 COWBOYS (Cle) DeSean Jackson WR Cal

23 STEELERS Jeff Otah OT Pitt

24 TITANS Limas Sweed WR Texas

25 SEAHAWKS Branden Albert OG Virginia

26 JAGUARS Kentwan Balmer DT North Carolina

27 CHARGERS Antoine Cason CB Arizona

28 COWBOYS Chris Johnson RB East Carolina
(He's faster, stronger, has just as good of hands than Felix Jones and can also return kicks. He's the better prospect on film and in workouts.)

29 49ERS (Ind) Malcolm Kelly WR Oklahoma

30 PACKERS Trevor Laws DT Notre Dame

31 PATS No Pick

32 GIANTS Jerod Mayo LB Tennessee

Second Rnd
1 DOLPHINS Anthony Collins OT Kansas

2 RAMS Phillip Merling DE Clemson
(He hasn't worked out and that's a huge red flag. Teams don't like to take players they haven't seen
personally very high. No matter how talented they are.)

3 FALCONS (Oak) Erin Henderson LB Maryland

4 CHIEFS James Hardy WR Indiana

5 JETS Jonathan Stewart RB Oregon
(This is a deep RB class and while I think Stewart will be fine despite turf toe surgery, that operation can take a while to heal. Those questions force him into the second round.)

6 FALCONS Pat Sims DT Auburn

7 RAVENS Joe Flacco QB Delaware

8 49ERS Quentin Groves LB Auburn

9 SAINTS Reggie Smith DB Oklahoma

10 BILLS Martellus Bennett TE Texas A&M

11 BRONCOS Lawrence Jackson DE USC

12 PANTHERS Gosder Cherilus OT Boston College

13 BEARS Chad Henne QB Michigan

14 LIONS Jamaal Charles RB Texas

15 BENGALS Curtis Lofton LB Oklahoma

16 VIKINGS Dustin Keller TE Purdue

17 FALCONS (HOU) Terrell Thomas DB USC

18 EAGLES Sam Baker OT USC

19 CARDINALS Felix Jones RB Arkansas
(I'm lower on him than others. I don't like that he can't run inside. He's an easy tackle. He can outrun defenders, but doesn't break through tackles. Charles and Johnson are both more talented and molded to be more successful in the NFL.)

20 REDSKINS Early Doucet WR LSU

21 BUCCS Andre Caldwell WR Florida

22 STEELERS Roy Schuening OG Oregon St.

23 TITANS Tracy Porter CB Indiana

24 SEAHAWKS Fred Davis TE USC

25 PACKERS (CLE) Duane Brown OT Va. Tech

26 DOLPHINS (SD) Mike Pollack C Arizona St.

27 JAGUARS Tyrell Johnson S Arkansas St.

28 COLTS Tavares Gooden LB Miami

29 PACKERS Brad Cottam TE Tennessee

30 COWBOYS Justin King CB Penn St.

31 PATRIOTS Cliff Avril LB Purdue

32 GIANTS Dre Moore DT Maryland

Third Rnd
1 DOLPHINS Andre Woodson QB Kentucky

2 RAMS Chilo Rachal OG USC

3 CHIEFS Red Bryant DT Texas A&M

4 PANTHERS (Jets) Wesley Woodyard LB Kentucky

5 FALCONS Kirk Barton OT Ohio St.

6 PATRIOTS (Oak) Jonathan Goff LB Vanderbilt

7 BEARS (SF) Eddie Royal WR Va. Tech

8 JAGUARS (Buf) Brandon Flowers CB Va. Tech

9 BILLS (Bal) Xavier Adibi LB Va. Tech

10 VIKINGS (Den) Darrell Robertson DE Georgia Tech

11 PANTHERS Earl Bennett WR Vanderbilt

12 49ERS (Chi) John David Booty QB USC

13 LIONS Carl Nicks OT Nebraska

14 BENGALS Shawn Crable LB Michigan

15 SAINTS DeMario Pressley DT N.C. State

16 TEXANS Ray Rice RB Rutgers
(Perfect fit for the zone blocking scheme. I think he'll be big time in Houston.)

17 EAGLES John Carlson TE Notre Dame

18 CARDINALS Marcus Howard LB Georgia

19 VIKINGS Quintin Demps S UTEP

20 BUCCS Matt Forte RB Tulane

21 REDSKINS Calais Campbell DE Miami
(Not buying. I think he's a bust even at this point, but he has value because of potential. His work ethic is pathetic. Any team reaching for him in the first will regret it.)

22 TITANS Geno Hayes LB Florida St.

23 SEAHAWKS Charles Godfrey CB Iowa

24 LIONS (Cle) Josh Barrett S Arizona St.

25 STEELERS Jordy Nelson WR Kansas St.

26 JAGUARS Donnie Avery WR Houston

27 BEARS (SD) Dajuan Morgan S N.C. State

28 PACKERS Kevin Smith RB Central Florida

29 COWBOYS Steve Justice C Wake Forest

30 COLTS Eric Young OG Tennessee

31 PATS John Greco OT Toledo

32 GIANTS Terrence Wheatley CB Colorado

33 REDSKINS (Comp) Antwaun Molden CB Eastern Kentucky

34 BENGALS (Comp) Kendall Langford DE Hampton

35 FALCONS (Comp) Tom Zbikowski S Notre Dame

36 RAVENS (Comp) Steve Slaton RB West Virginia

4th Rnd
1 DOLPHINS Ahtyba Rubin DT Iowa St.

2 RAMS John Sullivan C Notre Dame

3 JETS Jerome Simpson WR Coastal Carolina

4 FALCONS Jacob Tamme TE Kentucky

5 RAIDERS Chris Ellis DE Va. Tech

6 CHIEFS Donald Thomas OG Uconn

7 RAVENS Bryan Kehl LB BYU

8 49ERS Phillip Wheeler LB Ga. Tech

9 BRONCOS Jordon Dizon LB Colorado

10 PANTHERS Gary Guyton LB Ga. Tech

11 BEARS Oniel Cousins OT UTEP

12 LIONS Johnny Dingle DE West Virginia

13 BENGALS Mike McGlynn OT Pitt

14 JETS (NO) Frank Okam DT Texas

15 BILLS Patrick Lee CB Auburn

16 EAGLES Craig Steltz S LSU

17 CARDINALS Dennis Keyes S UCLA

18 VIKINGS Josh Johnson QB San Diego

19 TEXANS Paul Hubbard WR Wisconsin

20 BRONCOS (WAS) Harry Douglas WR Louisville

21 BUCCS Tyvon Branch CB UConn

22 SEAHAWKS Tashard Choice RB Ga. Tech

23 BROWNS Jonathan Hefney S Tennessee

24 STEELERS James McClinton DT Kansas

25 TITANS Jeremy Thompson DE Wake Forest

26 CHARGERS Paul Oliver CB Georgia
(Supplemental draft pick)

27 JAGUARS Dennis Dixon QB Oregon

28 COWBOYS Robert Felton OG Arkansas

29 COLTS Kellen Davis TE Michigan St.

30 PACKERS Durant Brooks P Ga. Tech

31 PATRIOTS Cory Boyd RB South Carolina

32 GIANTS Dexter Jackson WR Appalachian St.

33 EAGLES (Comp) Stanford Kegler LB Purdue

34 BILLS (Comp) Lionel Dotson DT Arizona

35 RAVENS (Comp) Ezra Butler LB Nevada

36 TITANS (Comp) Craig Stevens TE Cal

37 PACKERS (Comp) Jamie Silva S Boston College

[NYJets30]

I'm more inclined to think the Rams would take Jake Long over Dorsey. We all know what happened when Orlando Pace went down the last 2 years. Carriker has been god for them, and I just think Long is the bigger need

I knew you were gonna give the Bills Devin Thomas when you said "you'll be surprised how high I have Thomas". Cant really argue, I can see Kelly, Sweed or Thomas there

You said Dan Collins instead of Dan Connor lol. Not a big deal, we get the point

Thats the highest I've seen Manningham in I think any draft so far. Like I said in the other thread, I have him at 40 to SF

Brohm to the Bucs? Interesting. I thought people would say I had him to high when I had him to the Seahawks. The Bucs QB depth chart is pretty crowded, but it's more quantity than quality.

To be honest, I completely forgot about Kenny Philips when I did my mock. Washington is as likely a landing spot as any. They can easily get a decent WR in the later rounds

From the Jets standpoint: I desperately want McFadden, but I would be perfectly content with Gholston and Stewart. And I agree with a WR with our 4th round pick, but I'm not sold on Simpson. I'd rather have Harry Douglas or Bowman

[Saint33]

one pick I really like Josh Johnson to Minnesota

I'm not really in the mood to make a lot of comments, and this mock is a lil bit tough on the eyes when reading

Just one thought, Brandon Albert is probably the second best OL in the draft. I don't see him falling past Carolina, where he would make a great fit because he could play G or T depending on what they want to do with Travelle Wharton

[kc5950]

If the Seahawks got Brandon Albert and Fred Davis in the first two rounds, I'd be ok with them trading the rest of their draft for a kicker.

I am happy, cubuffsman that you haven't fallen into the Brandon Albert trap. He's versatile, and would be a serviceable tackle, but he could be an elite guard. I don't think you play guard in college to become an elite NFL left tackle. He won't be a top 10 pick, though he could sneak into the top 20.

I don't think that Mike Martz would allow himself to be stuck in another situation where he had several big receivers. There is a reason why Shaun Mcdonald was so great last year. The 49'ers pass on Kelly if still available at 29 and draft one of the smaller receivers, like I said, my money is on Doucet or Manningham.

I'm in the minority, but I see Sam Baker to the Texans in round 1.

I like Steve Slaton in the back half of the 3rd, I think thats a proper assessment of his value, though I don't think he gets past the Pats in the 3rd, who will use him to replace Kevin Faulk.

[NYJets30]

Add this to my comments before on the Jets draft: I like Okam a lot if we can get him in the 4th.

[bowler533]

Why so low on Dre Moore? To me, he show-cased great athletic ability for a 300+ size guy. I think he could go upwards of the second round. Am I missing something about him?

[cubuffsman78]

I don't have to say this because it's obvious to you guys, but hype is a big part of the draft. Dre Moore doesn't have the hype. I agree he's a great prospect and I think his impact is immediate. However, he lacks hype. Moore is a classic example of a workout warrior, though, and I think that's why he lacks hype. He wasn't consistent in college and showed that same inconsistency at the Senior Bowl. Sometimes he looks unblockable. Others, he simply disappears.

[porky88]

Dan Conner at #15 is to high IMO. Late 1st to early 2nd round pick. He grades out similar to Paul Posluszny and that's where he went. I know you think Conner and Rivers are close though but I don't know about that.

Packers taking Trever Laws??? Cross it off right now. Ryan Pickett, Justin Harrell, and Johnny Jolley are in the mix. Harrell was taken to replace Williams last year from what I could gather. Jolley also played real well last year and started ahead of Williams before an injury. GB also has Colin Cole whom is in the rotation and they're high on Daniel Muir as well. DT unlikely to happen. That pick made me scratch my head but I do like Laws as a potential sleeper 1st round pick.

I don't think Brohm is a 1st round prospect. I actually think he's the #3 QB prospect behind Joe Flacco. I could see Brohm to Tampa in round 2 but if another QB goes in round 1, it's Flacco and it will be near the end of round 1.

[cdobry1991]

I said this on porky's mock as well. I just don't think that with Jordan on the roster that Oakland will select McFadden. Once/if Jordan goes, it'll open up more room and playing time in the backfield for McFadden.

I think that both DRC and Jenkins are a little low.

Not really as high on Manningham as you evidently are, but I can't deny he's a heck of an athlete. I think he's still high second round, maybe slipping into the late 1st based on Kelly's lackluster workout.

Pittsburgh would probably go Albert over Otah in that situation, since we have a bigger whole at G with the loss of Faneca.

Nice first round and the rest looks good as well.

[cubuffsman78]

Pittsburgh hasn't re-signed Max Starks either. That's not a small hole.