NFL Draft 2008 - Let's make a mock-ery.

The Game Room
41

Updated List

1 (1) Miami Dolphins – Jake Long, OT, Michigan
2 (2) St. Louis Rams – Glenn Dorsey, DT, LSU
3 (3) Atlanta Falcons – Chris Long, DE, Virginia
4 (4) Oakland Raiders – Darren McFadden, RB, Arkansas
5 (5) Kansas City Chiefs – Matt Ryan, QB, Boston College
6 (6) New York Jets – Vernon Gholston, DE/OLB, Ohio State
7 (7) New England Patriots (From 49ers) – Sedrick Ellis, DT, USC
8 (8) Baltimore Ravens – Leodis McKelvin, CB, Troy
9 (9) Cincinnati Bengals – Keith Rivers, LB, USC
10 (10) New Orleans Saints – Dominique Rodgers Cromartie, CB, Tennessee St.
11 (11) Buffalo Bills-Limas, Sweed, WR, Texas
12 (12) Denver Broncos-Ryan Clady, OT, Boise St.
13 (13) Carolina Panthers - Branden Albert, OG, Virginia
14 (14) Chicago Bears-Rashard Mendenhall, RB, (Not sure of school)
15 (15) Detroit Lions- Jeff Otah, OT, Pitt
16 (16) Arizona Cardinals- Aquib Talib, CB, kansas
17 (17) Minnesota Vikings - Joe Flacco(sp?), QB, Delaware
18 (18) Houston Texans
19 (19) Philadelphia Eagles
20 (20) Tampa Bay Buccaneers
21 (21) Washington Redskins
22 (22) Dallas Cowboys (From Browns)
23 (23) Pittsburgh Steelers
24 (24) Tennessee Titans
25 (25) Seattle Seahawks
26 (26) Jacksonville Jaguars
27 (27) San Diego Chargers
28 (28) Dallas Cowboys
29 (29) San Francisco 49ers (From Colts)
30 (30) Green Bay Packers
31 (31) New York Giants

42

Oofa. That is a reach. And for a guy who hasn’t played a single game against BCS competition. I think, given this draft, the Vikes would’ve gone with Derrick Harvey, because of Udeze’s rough break.

43

I was debating between Brohm and Flacco for the Vikes, but I am betting they would be swayed by Flacco’s skillset - size and a howitzer for an arm. I wouldn’t be surprised if they went with Brohm instead.

44

If you’re looking for a QB NOW, which it appears the Vikings are, I think Brohm or even Henne are your guys. But if you’re looking for a prospect with nice measurables, who might be Big Ben in 3 years, then it’s Flacco.

45

They’ll probably have a deal in place with the Chiefs for Jared Allen before draft day. Dunno what the hell the Chiefs are thinking - they’ll probably get a first this year and a 2-4 next year, and neither player they get will be as good as Allen.

46

I…wait…what?

You’re kidding me.

Well, he’s off the board. Let’s continue with the fun!

47

I’m not sure the Vikings sre looking for a QB at all; if they were going to roll the dice on a raw prospect like Tavaris Jackson it figures that they’d give him a few years to get sorted out. He also showed a lot of improvement toward season’s end.

48

Houston Texans

They have an embarrassment of riches here, because they can grab Derrick Harvey to bookend with Mario Williams, or they can grab Chris Williams to protect Schaub, or they can grab Stewart and wait for him to get healthy (Green/Dayne/C.Brown should last a few weeks at least), or Mike Jenkins for another young CB to fill in for/compliment Dunta Robinson.

Taking any of those guys will help their organization. They really can’t lose here. The problem is deciding which one. Personally, I think it’s going to be:

Houston Texans select Mike Jenkins, CB, South Florida.

49

The Iggles need a DB, and they’ve needed a playmaking WR snce before and after Terrell Owens. The Iggles give McNabb a new toy: WR DeSean Jackson, USC.
Cal, just kidding.
:slight_smile:

50

Tampa Bay, fresh out of salary cap hell, and finally in a position to draft the best available instead of on need, briefly flirt with taking Mario Manningham but quickly wise up; all the corners are gone, so they’ll take the next best defensive player: a big, fast linebacker able to shore up the strongside linebacker position - and he or Cato June can switch to the weakside when Derrick Brooks is ready to hand up the cleats.

Jerrod Mayo, LB (Tenn.)

51

As a Pitt fan, I can tell you that Flacco never had a shot behind Tyler Palko. However, as much as it pains me to say anything nice about Walt Harris, the man knows QB talent. I’m sure Flacco’s good and I’m just as sure that he’ll need time to get polished and adjust to the speed of the NFL.

52

There’s simply no chance that the Bears are going to draft a RB in the first round. They’ll be looking at a speed guy like Slaton in the third round, maybe Kevin Smith or Ray Rice if they are still available and even Felix Jones in the second is a possibility if the QB situation goes south and he drops. I love Mendenhall a lot and I’d love to see him in a Bear uni, but they don’t have the luxury of taking a RB with that pick. I think the Lions and Bears picks will flip flop IRL.

Also, if Chris Williams is still on the board the Texans will definitely take him.

  1. Washington Redskins
    WR - Devin Thomas, Michigan State
    This run on WRs in the first round is really unexpected and for the guy they like to still be there the Redskins will have to feel really lucky. However, Derrick Harvey has slipped way down this draft board and there’s going to be a lot of gnashing of teeth over who to take. The big DE is the right pick, but the Redskins usually don’t make the right pick, hence the Thomas selection.
53

I don’t see all the love Williams gets. He’s fine in pass protection, but he’ll get overpowered, and I’m not sure I see the desire to succeed in him. And his pass blocking is so so. So rather than give the Texans the 4th best LT, I figured they’d want the 2nd best CB.

54

Generally I agree, after Long every one of these tackle prospects has weaknesses and appear to be somewhat one-dimensional. Still, it’s a position that everyone always needs, this year especially, and the Texans have been in deep shit there ever since Boseli flopped. Gary Kubiak is a QB/Offense guy and you know he’s going to put a major premium on protecting Schaub.

Most importantly though, the CB class is every bit as uncertain as the OT class is. Certainly Jenkins has his supporters but he’s not very good in run support and is coming from a smaller school. He’s certainly not #2 on everyones board and the character concerns are legit.

Long story short, OT is a bigger need and the CB class isn’t good enough to make the BPA argument.

55

Slaton isn’t the answer. Mendenhall is for the Bears. I like Mendenhall for the Bears more than I like him for the Lions.

The popular pick for the Lions is Mendenhall, but I don’t want him. I have serious reservations.

56

Agreed that Slaton isn’t the answer, but the Bears need another set of legs to make for a RB-by-committee and Slaton would fill that speed role for a comparatively cheap price, which is what it’s all about.

Mendenhall is going to be a STUD. He’s a workhorse, versatile and intense. I would love to have him home in a Bears uni, don’t get me wrong, but the catastrophe that is the Benson pick and the shambles that the O-line is in simply make drafting a RB in the first round an impossibility.

57

I waited and waited, hoping to get the chance to represent the Eagles’ pick, and alas, work stole me away.

As for the listed pick, I’m not sure I agree with it. I think the Eagles’ need areas are definitely WR, LB, CB, OL (T), and probably in that order. But while the Eagles need a WR, I don’t think Jackson is the right one. What the Eagles need most from their #1 is a guy with size to break through a press coverage (the Eagles’ WRs last year were routinely dismantled at the line, a problem that stalled their entire offense at times), and the ability to really run with the ball after the catch (something really valuable in the West Coast and T.O. proved how effective it can be for the Eagles).

Jackson is really fast, and for a shorter WR, he’s a good downfield threat, but he’s still too small to effectively fight press coverage. He’s basically Kevin Curtis, and the Eagles already have him.

After looking at the other possible WRs (Devin Thomas is big, but not a good route runner (which is crucial in the West Coast), and he gets jammed too easily as well), I’m thinking that their solution to the WR position isn’t in this draft, and definitely not at this spot. I’d concern myself with another need position in that case, and I probably would have gone with Jerod Mayo, or tried to trade down to get Dan Connor. Either would allow Omar Gaither to move to strong side OLB, where his coverage skills would really shine. I think either of those guys would create the most positive impact for the team.

58

Since we’re on a new page:

ROUND ONE

1 (1) Miami Dolphins – Jake Long, OT, Michigan
2 (2) St. Louis Rams – Glenn Dorsey, DT, LSU
3 (3) Atlanta Falcons – Chris Long, DE, Virginia
4 (4) Oakland Raiders – Darren McFadden, RB, Arkansas
5 (5) Kansas City Chiefs – Matt Ryan, QB, Boston College
6 (6) New York Jets – Vernon Gholston, DE/OLB, Ohio State
7 (7) New England Patriots (From 49ers) – Sedrick Ellis, DT, USC
8 (8) Baltimore Ravens – Leodis McKelvin, CB, Troy
9 (9) Cincinnati Bengals – Keith Rivers, LB, USC
10 (10) New Orleans Saints – Dominique Rodgers Cromartie, CB, Tennessee St.
11 (11) Buffalo Bills-Limas, Sweed, WR, Texas
12 (12) Denver Broncos-Ryan Clady, OT, Boise St.
13 (13) Carolina Panthers - Branden Albert, OG, Virginia
14 (14) Chicago Bears-Rashard Mendenhall, RB, (Not sure of school)
15 (15) Detroit Lions- Jeff Otah, OT, Pitt
16 (16) Arizona Cardinals- Aquib Talib, CB, Kansas
17 (17) Minnesota Vikings - Joe Flacco, QB, Delaware
18 (18) Houston Texans – Mike Jenkins, CB, S. Florida
19 (19) Philadelphia Eagles – DeSean Jackson, WR, California
20 (20) Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Jerod Mayo, ILB, Tennessee
21 (21) Washington Redskins – Devin Thomas, WR, Michigan State
22 (22) Dallas Cowboys (From Browns) – Jonathon Stewart, RB, Oregon
23 (23) Pittsburgh Steelers
24 (24) Tennessee Titans
25 (25) Seattle Seahawks
26 (26) Jacksonville Jaguars
27 (27) San Diego Chargers
28 (28) Dallas Cowboys
29 (29) San Francisco 49ers (From Colts)
30 (30) Green Bay Packers
31 (31) New York Giants

So, we’re on to the Dallas Cowboys

Dallas is in a tough spot here. They’re only a couple of players away from the Super Bowl, but the Best Players Available (I think it’s clearly Derrick Harvey and then Gosder Cherius) don’t fit their needs. If the Cowboys were smart, they’d take Harvey. But they need to fill RB, WR, and CB (although PacMan may settle that one). So, they’re screwed by the way this draft has gone. They could grab Stewart, who has fallen this far, but he’s very similar to Marion Barber and wouldn’t be a change of pace. They could reach for Felix Jones. They could reach even further for Hardy, Manningham, Kelly, or Caldwell. And while I truly enjoy seeing the Cowboys screw up, it’s very hard to tell what they would do. But I think, in the end, Stewart is too promising and fits a need to well, to pass up.

Dallas Cowboys select Jonathon Stewart, RB, Oregon.

59

Steelers select OT Gosder Cherilus (Boston College)
The Steelers need some help on the o-line after losing Alan Faneca and giving up too many sacks last year. Drafting Cherilus at RT allows Willie Colon to move to LG to replace Faneca.

60

Rashard Mendenhall, RB ILLINOIS

I think that any team taking Stewart in the first round is going to get screwed in epic fashion. You simply do not draft a RB with foot problems in the first round, doubly so if he won’t be ready for the preseason.