Mock Draft 2/12/05

[Tank Walsh]

1.
San Francisco 49ers - Aaron Rogers, QB California | Rodgers is not as tall as the niners would like, but other than that he has franchise written all over him. His arm strength, intelligence and overall intangibles will vault him to the top of the class ahead of Alex Smith.
2. Miami Dolphins - Cedric Benson, RB Texas | Benson is the closest thing to Ricky Williams in an NFL draft as, well, Ricky Williams. Benson has had four straight 1,000 yard seasons and is a consistent, durable back. The dolphin offense was built around a power running game and while A.J. Feeley was impressive down the stretch last year, this team\'s fortunes will rise or fall depending on how the run game shakes out.
3. Cleveland Browns - Alex Smith, QB Utah | After this year, it is very obvious that without a real live elite talent at QB, this franchise will continue as one of the bottom feeders in the NFL. Romeo Crennel badly needs to set a new tone with this team and give the fans in Cleveland some hope of light at the end of the tunnel. Smith, who has ideal height and is a threat to run as well as pass, may well be the answer in Cleveland.
4. Chicago Bears - Braylon Edwards, WR Michigan | The Bears haver built a solid defense and even seem to have their offensive backfield in order. All that is missing is some semblance of talent at the WR position, and Braylon Edwards should fit the bill. He has played outdoors at the Big House just a few miles north and been remarkable successful in the harsh Midwestern weather. This talented prospect will feel right at home in Soldier Field, and he may very well prove to be the missing piece.
5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Ronnie Brown, RB Auburn | Jon Gruden\'s team is known not for its size on both sides of the ball, but for its speed and versatility. Ronnie Brown may well be the most complete RB in this class, and with his ability to not only run downhill AND outside but cath passes and block, Brown will be just what Chuckie ordered.
6. Tennessee Titans - Antrel Rolle, CB Miami (FL) | Rolle is smart, tough and, despite being a UM alumnus, a very high-character player who has a nose for the ball. He is outstanding in press or man-to-man coverage downfield and he is more than adequate as a run-stopper. He also has rare height for a CB at 6\'1\". Antrel will reunite with his brother, Samari and should evlove into one of the the better corners in the NFL.
7. Oakland Raiders - Mike Williams, WR USC | With the likely departure of Jerry Porter from the Bay Area, the Raider offense will be starved for playmakers in this area. Williams\' huge size will create mismatches with any DB that covers him and he should make an immediate impact in much the same way that Andre Johnson did for the Texans in his first year.
8. Arizona Cardinals - Derrick Johnson, LB Texas | Dennis Green will not ba able to pass on a rare talent like Derrick Johnson. Johnson is a true freak of nature that is just as likely to run down a fleet WR as he is to stuff a 235 lb. RB. Johnson is a true \'difference maker\' that all coaches crave, no matter what side of the ball he plays on. If he is properly utilized, Johnson should become a perennial Pro-Bowler in 2-3 years.
9. Washington Redskins - Heath Miller, TE Virginia | Miller is the missing H-back in Joe Gibbs\' offensive system and has the potential to create mismatches with most LBs that will attempt to cover him. Gibbs badly needs another offensive weapon to help revive what was a pathetically unproductive offense last year.
10. Detroit Lions - Dan Cody, DE Oklahoma | With their last three first round picks on the offensive side of the ball, it\'s time for Matt Millen to look for another impact defensive player. Shaun Rogers is fast becoming one of the better DTs in the NFL and Cody, a workhorse of a player with great closing speed and a nose for the ball, is a perfect compliment to Rogers and should give Detroit a formidable combination along the DL.
11. Dallas Cowboys - Troy Williamson, WR South Carolina | Bill Parcells still doesn\'t have his QB of the future ready yet, but Williamson may well be the counterpart to whoever fills that spot. Underrated for most of the season, Williamson has scary speed and is a true deep threat that should be able to take some pressure off the running game and allow Julius Jones room to work. Antonio Bryant was not the answer and Keyshawn Johnson is on the downside of his career, so the Cowboys are desperate to add a playmaker who can stretch the field.
12. San Diego Chargers (From NYG) - Alex Barron, OT Florida State | No matter who ends up at QB for the Chargers next year, this mammoth OT is just the guy to watch his back. Barron is the best OT in this class and is equally adept at both run and pass blocking.
13. Houston Texans - Travis Johnson, DT Florida St. | The Texans have needs along both the OL and DL, but Dom Capers will give his OL one more year to jell before his starts to shuffle it again. Besides, with Barron off the board there is no other true LOT worthy of a top-15 pick. That makes Travis Johnson their man this year. No player has rocketed up the draft charts faster than Johnson this year after a shaky start to his career at FSU. Seth Payne is rehabbing his second serious injury in two years and Walker is not the player he was two years ago. Johnson is a quick, run-stuffing DT that should help a unit that has been simply awful against the run. Early predictioin - Terrence Murphy (WR) with the second pick.
14. Carolina Panthers - Jammal Brown, OT Oklahoma | Jammal Brown has played ROT for four years in Oklahoma and will work with Jordan Gross to become what may become the best tackle tandem in football.
15. Kansas City Chiefs - Erasmus James, DE Wisconsin | Stop me if you\'ve heard this one before - the Chiefs need help on defense. This team with the offense that just won\'t quit still hasn\'t been able to build a sound defense to compliment its high-powered offense. Dick Vermeil will certainly look to rectify this via free agency, but James is a player the Cheifs won\'t be able to pass up. James is a workout machine with a nonstop motor that can locate the ball quickly and take good angles to it, and he will provide a much-needed spark to KC\'s defensive unit.
16. New Orleans Saints - Pac-Man Jones, CB West Virginia | Don\'t be surprised to see N.O. trade this pick as they may look to avoid the strain of a mid-first round pick in order to make the team more atrractive to a willing buyer looking for value in an NFL team. However, if N.O. stays put look for them to draft the biggest defensive playmaker still on the board. Adam Jones (his real name) has the potential to be a true shutdown corner with the right coaching, and he is a dangerous return man who is a threat to score any time he touches the ball.
17. Cincinnati Bengals - Anttaj Hawthorne, DT Wisconsin | The Bengals will likely look for defensive help and Hawthorne is a giant, 310lb. body that can really clog up the middle and create problems for any team that likes to run the ball between the tackles. He is no doubt a bit of a risk, because he is somewhat inconsistent, but playing against NFL talent week in and week out may very well bring out the best in this talented player.
18. Minnesota Vikings - Thomas Davis, S Georgia | Lost in most of the L.A.R. (life after Randy) talk the past few weeks has been the need for the Vikings to find a way to stop all those deep throws that sunk them so many times this year. Davis is a quick player who is very good in coverage and will not hesitate to fill the gaps in run support.
19. St. Louis Rams - Mark Clayton, WR Oklahoma | With Marshall Faulk and Isaac Bruce sure to depart the team in the next year or two, the Rams need more playmakers on offense. St. Louis has a history of making superstars out of WRs that would be considered too small on other teams (see Azhir Az-Hakim and Tory Holt). Clayton is a tremendous talent that wowed scouts at the Senior Bowl with his speed and athleticism. Clayton may also have the best hands of any player in the draft this year and may very well be the steal of the first round this year.
20. Dallas Cowboys (from Buf) - Shaun Cody, DT USC | After addressing the offensive side of the ball with their first pick, Dallas will pick up a great player in Shaun Cody. Cody has the ability to fill the gap as well as rush the passer, and he will be the second piece of what will be and outstanding first round duo for the Cowboys.
21.
Jacksonville Jaguars - Marcus Spears, DE LSU | The Jaguars are one of the most complete teams in football right now and have no realy glaring needs as long as they can get Donovan Darious re-signed this year. A solid pass rusher on the outside would definitely help the Jags compete in what has become a division loaded with stud QBs.
22. Baltimore Ravens - Mike Patterson, DT USC | The Ravens need a WR threat to complete their offense, but they will get a better value with Patterson. He would be a great fit at nose tackle, another area of need for the Ravens. He is quick and strong, and although he is not quite 300 lbs., the trainers in Baltimore are sure to rectify that. Patterson should end up as a starter from the beginning of training camp and will be a good addition to what is one of the better defensive units in the NFL every year.
23. Seattle Seahawks - Shawne Merriman, LB Maryland | There is simply no telling what this team will look like at the start of next season, but Merriman would be a good pick if he is available here and the Seahawks needs don\'t change. He shows very good skills as a pass rusher and has a ton of upside as he is still raw in some areas.
24. Green Bay Packers - Ernest Shazor, S Michigan | If Favre stays, expect Green Bay to focus on their pourous pass defense. Shazor is a big, physical player who has thrived playing in harsh climates and has the speed to cover downfield.
25. Denver Broncos - David Pollack, DE Georgia | Pollack may be the hardest-working player in this class and he would provide an outstanding compliment to last year\'s first round selection, D.J. Williams. Pollack makes plays all over the field and has a motor that just won\'t quit.
26. New York Jets - Other, Put name in explanation -> | Brandon Browner, Oregon State. The Jets would like to upgrade their secondary and Browner is a good-sized DB prospect with a lot of upside.
27. Atlanta Falcons - Carlos Rogers, CB Auburn | Rogers would team with last year\'s first rounder DeAngelo Hall to create a very good CB tandem.
28. San Diego Chargers - Justin Miller, CB Clemson | After addressing the offensive side of the ball with a great OT, the Chargers will look for help on the defensive side of the ball. Miller is an extremely quick corner who should develop into an excellent cover man in the NFL.
29. Indianapolis Colts - Channing Crowder, LB Florida | The Colts need a run-stuffing presence in the middle and if Crowder is still on the board expect him to be selected here. There are some character questions about this young player, but he is a big, quick ILB with good instincts. If he can keep his nose clean and show some maturity early, Crowder should develop into an excellent starter by the end of his first season.
30. Pittsburgh Steelers - Justin Tuck, DE Notre Dame | Pittsburgh has no glaring needs, but a solid pass-rushing end that can play the run and has a team-first mentality can find a spot in Pittsburgh no matter what year it is.
31. Philadelphia Eagles - Elton Brown, OG Virginia | If the Eagles lose Jermaine Mayberry in the offseason, expect the first OG taken to be Brown. He is a huge specimen of a man and can take up a lot of space as well as move well in pass protection.
32. New England Patriots - Corey Webster, CB LSU | Although the Pats\' defense performed admirably down the stretch, its secondary was depleted terribly by the time the Super Bowl rolled around. They will look to add some depth by drafting the best available corner still on the board, and that looks to be Webster. Although there are still questions about his top-end speed, Webster played well enough in the Senior Bowl to secure himself a spot in the first round.