NFL Mock Draft King

 1. NDAMUKONG SUH 6′4″ 300 DT NEBRASKA

The Rams have glaring needs all over the field. Steven Jackson is the only playmaker to walk out of the St. Louis locker room on Sundays. Look for Spagnuolo, a defensive minded head coach, to address one of his needs by taking Suh here. A rare blend of size, speed and strength, Suh will wreak havoc in the oppositions backfield for years to come, and be the core of what the Rams hope is an up and coming defense.

2. RUSSELL OKUNG 6′5″ 300 OT OKLAHOMA STATE

The Lions have plenty of needs and could go in quite a few directions. The Lions select Okung here to protect the investment that was made with the #1 pick in last years draft. Detroit allowed 43 sacks to go along with 94 hits on the QB this past season, leaving them in the bottom ten of the NFL in both categories. In Okung they get a player with good size, long arms, and above average strength to go along with his excellent feet and athleticism. Detroit could also take Gerald McCoy here but their main goal should be to keep Stafford upright and out on the field, instead of inside the trainers room or on the operating table.

3. GERALD McCOY 6′4″ 297 DT OKLAHOMA

The Bucs have a tremendous set of needs heading into the 2010 season. This pick will remain on the defensive side of the ball in an attempt to bring back some swagger into Tampa. I have changed this pick from Berry to McCoy because in my opinion you need to build inside out, and above all else be able to stop the run. While Berry will support the run defense, McCoy will have his nose right in the middle of it, and be a building block for Raheem Morris to build around. McCoy will step in immediately, and with his high motor, and explosiveness he will be a game changer, and be a big piece to revitalizing the defense for the Bucs.

4. JIMMY CLAUSEN 6′3″ 223 QB NOTRE DAME

With the hire of Mike Shannahan there isn’t a doubt in my mind he selects a QB with this selection. In my opinion Campbell never had a chance to truly prove himself with the continuous carousel of coordinators and a lack of the depth at the reciever position, Shannahan is starting over, and that new beginning starts under center. Claussen has been a highly touted prospect since the day he showed up in South Bend, so the transition from the college ranks to the pro ranks should be somewhat seamless, minus the basic growing pains of a rookie QB. Claussen has good size and can make all of the throws, and has excellent feet which often goes unnoticed. As a 3 year starter in ND’s pro style offense, he worked under center and is competent with the play action which makes him the 2010’s draft #1 QB taken.

5. ERIC BERRY 5′11″ 203 S  TENNESSEE

With the emergence of Jamaal Charles and last seasons addition of Matt Cassel, Todd Haley now has some playmakers and youth to build around. KC could definitely use a tackle here due to the fact they have a horrific offensive line, but Berry is simply too good to pass up here. Berry draws comparisons to future hall of famer Ed Reed, with 4.4 speed, a nose for the ball, and the ability to lay the wood on opposing receivers who travel over the middle. Berry will bring leadership to a secondary that has been lacking, and help Romeo Crennel change the culture of the Chief defense for years to come.

6. SAM BRADFORD 6′4″ 223 QB OKLAHOMA

With Matt Hasselbeck well past his prime it is time for Seattle to bring in the ‘08 Heisman Winner and groom his as Hasselbeck’s successor. Bradford may have gone #1 overall last season however he opted to return to his senior season, one that was maligned with injury. Some question his post op arm strength, his durability, and his transition to the pro style offense. Bradford will have the opportunity to prove the nay sayers wrong come the combine, which he will landing him with the Seahawks.

7. JOE HADEN 5′11″ 190 CB FLORIDA

Eric Mangini has many needs to address in this years draft, and he has 11 picks in this years draft to fix them. He could go tackle here but there is tremendous depth at that position this year, and a 1st round talent is sure to slip as the draft unfolds. It would be unlike Mangini to go with Dez Bryant here, so they’ll try to shore up that secondary with the top cover corner in the draft. Haden played from day one at UF, and he will do the same for the Browns.

8. BRUCE CAMPBELL 6′7″ 310 OT MARYLAND

For the life of me, I just can’t figure out what Al Davis will do here. We all know he loves workout warriors and measurables, so it is possible he can look past Dunlap’s off field problems, and Taylor Mays is still a possibility here, but I’ll give old Al some credit, and assuming Cable, a former O-Line guy is still the HC, they’ll address their line problems here. Campbell has been dominant in his career at Maryland, and many feel Campbell could go sub 5.0 at the combine, which will help his cause to stay in the Top-10.

9. ANTHONY DAVIS 6′6″ 330 OT RUTGERS

Some feel the Bills lack a QB for the future, but with Claussen and Bradford off of the board their choice is made for them, and they go with their most glaring need of all, offensive tackle. The Bills allowed 46 sacks this past season, good for 4th worst in the league, and with Davis, they upgrade immediately. Davis is a big time athlete, and can be left out on an island at left tackle, and is absolutely dominant in run blocking, and will allow whoever is behind center to grow into the position, and move the offense down the field.

10. TIM TEBOW 6′3″ 235 QB FLORIDA

I know what you’re thinking. This is rediculous. I agree. This pick will be made more for ticket sales and marketing than anything else. The Jags were a contender throughout, and fell victim to blackouts and thousands of empty seats at Jacksonville Municipal Stadium. Tebow is a folk hero of sorts in Florida, and his presence will immediately inject a frenzy into Jaguar fans to an unthought of level. There is no question Tebow is an elite athlete and “football player,” however his long arm mechanics, and the offense he comes from will make this a huge project for Jack Del Rio, and his coaching staff. With Tebow announcing he will attend the Senior Bowl it will be interesting to see how he adapts to the pro style offense. 

11. DEZ BRYANT 6′2″ 210 WR OKLAHOMA STATE

It is quite obvious that Josh McDaniels and Brandon Marshall can no longer co-exist in the same locker room. With Marshall moving on in the offseason, Bryant will be the pick here, and eventually evolve into the #1 receiver that Brandon Marshall was. Look for Bryant to have scouts in awe at the combine due to the fact he has the size, speed and athleticism to wreak havoc on the oppositions secondary.

12. JASON PIERRE-PAUL 6′6″ 260 DE/OLB SOUTH FLORIDA

With Jason Taylor nearing the end of his career and not as fleet a foot as he once was, look for Bill Parcells to add this DeMarcus Ware clone to team up with Joey Porter, giving the Dolphins potentially the most dynamic set of edge rushers in the AFC. JPP is extremely raw and lacks experience but with a 4.6 forty in his back pocket, his potential is unlimited.

13. BRYAN BULAGA 6′6″ 312 OT IOWA

San fran goes the way of the O-Line here with their first of two picks in the first round. Staley has been good, but not great, and Bulaga is pro ready, and would allow Staley to move to the right side, and upgrade their pass protection. Bulaga comes from a great tradition of offensive lineman at Iowa, and both Alex Smith and Frank Gore will benefit from this pick.

14. DERRICK MORGAN 6′4″ 220 DE GEORGIA TECH

Morgan is a steal at this point in the draft for Seattle. Seattle desperately needs to upgrade their pass rush ranking 26th in the league last year with 28. Pete Carroll is a defensive guy, and with the future of the QB position locked up he gets a guy with a wide array of pass rush moves who plays with an endless motor that any team would love to have coming off the edge.

15. ROLANDO McCLAIN 6′4″ 256 ILB ALABAMA

There is little question where the G-Men need to make improvements this offseason and it begins in the middle with the selection of Rolando McClain. With Antonio Pierce coming off of a neck injury, and slowed by a combination of age and injury, middle linebacker is a need that must be addressed. At 6?4? and 256lbs. is a monster and boasts 4.6 speed who is stout against the run and exceptional is pass coverage for a player his size, which will be vital in new DC Perry Fewell’s Tampa 2 Style D. McClain has made plays since the day he stepped on campus at Alabama, and look for him to be New York’s team leader for years to come.

16. PATRICK ROBINSON 5′11″ 195 CB FLORIDA STATE  

The Titans ranked 31st in the league against the pass last season giving up an unreal 258 yards a game through the air. Detroit was the only team to line up on Sundays and do worse. With Haden off the board. the Titans go down to the sunshine state and select Robinson. Look for Robinson to start out of the gate and shore up the secondary. Earl Thomas is also a possibility here, as well as Bowman to help out the LB corps.

17. TERRANCE CODY 6′5″ 365 DT ALABAMA

The niners continue to solidify the defense with the selection of Cody to keep interior lineman off of superstar Patrick Willis. While Cody is only a 2 down player he is stout against the run, and can collapse the pocket against the pass. Cody also excels on special teams, as he has blocked more than a few FG attempts in his day, none more notable than his blocked FGA in the closing seconds vs. U of Tenn., to keep the perfect season in tact which allowed the Tide to roll on to the national championship.

18. EARL THOMAS 5′10″ 195 S TEXAS

The Troy Polamolu loss crushed the defending Super Bowl champs any chance of a repeat. The Steelers gave up a league most 5 leads in the 4th quarter this past season which was the main reason they were on the outside looking in on the post season tournament. With the possibility of Ryan Clark leaving via free agency, look for Pitt to select this ballhawk out of Texas who has the ability to stop the run, with the ability to capitalize on the oppositions mistakes through the air with the ability to take it back to the house. The Steelers could also go with C.J. Spiller here to work with Mendenhall, or possibly a Receiver as Hines Ward is on his last legs.

19. DONOVAN WARREN 6′1″ 182 CB MICHIGAN

Atlantas secondary was one the worst in the league in ‘09. You know its bad when former 1st round bust and Rams reject Tye Hill walks out as part of your secondary. Enter Warren. With 4.3 speed and above average size for a corner look for Warren to become the difference maker Atlanta was lacking this past season.

20. JONATHAN DWYER 6′ 235 RB GEORGIA TECH

The Texans could go quite a few ways here as they could use help in the secondary as well as the D-Line. They go with Dwyer here to be the inside runner they have lacked from the beginning. With Dwyer they get an inside runner who keeps good pad level through the hole, and gives more hits than he takes. Dwyer and Slaton will form a nice tandem in the backfield, and force the opposition to bring more players into the box, thus opening up the big play downfield for Matt Schaub and Andre Johnson.

21. DAMIAN WILLIAMS 6′1″ 195 WR SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

Cincinatti has become a run first pass later team. Cedric Benson has rejuvinated his career, running for over 1,200 yards this past season. Teams are able to crowd the box making it harder on Benson due to the fact they only have one wideout that poses any threat, in Ochocinco. The pick here is Williams. Williams will help open up some running lanes for Benson, while giving Carson Palmer another option. At times this past season it seemed as if the only number Palmer saw was 85. This will help with his progressions, and make him the prime passer he truly is. Damian Williams had 90 receptions for 1,010 yards to go along with 6 td’s, in a year in which he had to work with a true freshman QB, in a pro style offense. The Arkansas transfer runs routes better than any receiver in the draft, and always catches the ball off of his body. With Williams traits, and Cincinatti’s need, this is a no brainer.

22. JERRY HUGHES 6′2″ 255 DE/OLB TCU  

Initially, I had the Pats going with Spiller here, but after the beating the Ravens put on them at home, I feel they need a complete overhaul on D. With Richard Seymour and Mike Vrabel both traded, the Pats were left with few playmakers and even less experience this season. Hughes will be able to step in immediately and help that putrid defense that left the Patriot faithful booing their home team for the first time in years. Hughes is the speed rusher off the edge the Pats need to disrupt the oppositions backfield, and with Belicheck running the D, look for Hughes to take his athleticism and speed, and bring back the intimidation the Pats D has lost over the years.

23. TRENT WILLIAMS 6′5″ 318 OT OKLAHOMA

The Packers allowed a league worst 51 sacks this season. If it wasn’t for Aaron Rodgers mobility god only knows how many times their QB would have hit the floor. Williams’ stock has falled a bit this year but the fact that he has great feet, and is very athletic on the edge should be enough to make him the pick here. Even after having 45 put on their Defense in the Wild Card round, the O-Line is what needs to be addressed to protect their franchise QB, and any hopes they have of returning to the playoffs.

24. C.J. SPILLER 5′11″ 195 RB CLEMSON

The Eagles have a few needs on the defensive line and secondary, but when Spiller falls down to 24, Reid snatches him up to replace the oft-injured Brian Westbrook. Spiller is a bigger version of Westbrook with his ability to catch the ball out of the backfield, and an absolute monster in the open field. Spiller will add to the firepower McNabb already has at his disposal, and look for Spiller to bring his game breaking ability to special teams, returning punts and kicks in Philly.

25. ARRELIOUS BENN 6′2″ 220 WR ILLINOIS

The Ravens leading receiver this season is a 35 year old who had thoughts of retirement going into the ‘09 training camp. The Ravens have a few areas that could use help, but none more than the receiving corps. Benn is a big, physical receiver, however he had an absolutely horrific season at Illinois totaling 38 grabs for 490 and 2 TD’s. Benn has taken a few hits for his lack of effort and the amount of drops this past season, but I feel need, and potential win out here and the pick is Benn. With a good quarterback getting him the Ball, and some coaching to go with it, Benn will develop into the #1 receiver Baltimore has been lacking since their inception.

26. CARLOS DUNLAP 6′6″ 280 DE FLORIDA

Dunlap has had his share of off field problems and has been criticized for being lazy and taking plays off from time to time. With that being said Dunlap has big time talent, and at this point in the round, it is worth it to take some what of a flier on a player. There is no question what you get in Dunlap as far as talent. He is a mirror image of Mario Williams as far as measurables are concerned, and Dunlap will immediately step in and be a force on the Cardinals D.

27. CHARLES BROWN 6′5″ 296 OT SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

With Flozell Adams, the Cowboys have the dirtiest player in the NFL and a penalty machine. How he didn’t get suspended for pushing Justin Tuck from behind in Week 13 is beyond me. Jerry Jones would be smart to take on some offensive line help here and select Brown, as Adams only has a bit more wear left on the tires. Brown is a former tight end, so athleticism and feet are not a question, but his weigh in at the combine will determine exactly where he falls in this years draft.

28. JAHVID BEST 5′10″ 195 RB CALIFORNIA

LaDanian Tomlinson is done in San Diego. Darren Sproles is obviously not a feature back and the pick here is local boy Jahvid Best. Best draws his best comparisons to Chris Johnson with his burning sub 4.4 speed. Best has questions about his durability, but his potential outweighs all else and becomes the feature back for the Chargers. Norv Turner could also go for Spikes here, but there is a decent chance Spikes, or a player with comparable talent are available in the 2nd.

29. SERGIO KINDLE 6′4″ 254 DE/OLB TEXAS

With Braylon Edwards under performing for the 2nd straight year, and Jerricho Cotchery being nothing more than a solid #2, the Jets could go receiver here. I have them taking Sergio Kindle here to give them the speed rusher they lack to take them from a great defense, to an exceptional one. While the Jets are ranked #1 in total D, those numbers are skewed do to the amount of time they possess the ball, running the ball a league high 60%, thus limiting the oppositions opportunities. The Jets rank 18th in sacks with 32 to their credit, and adding Kindle here will help Tannenbaum forget about that 2008 draft when he wasted the #6 pick on Vernon Ghoulston.

30. COLT McCOY 6′3″ 215 QB TEXAS

Brett Favre is only a Viking in the short term, and if Childress thought Tarvarris Jackson was the answer, he wouldn’t have brought Favre in. McCoy will have to prove himself through the combine and his pro day when it comes to arm strength, especially after the National Championship injury. If he shows he can make all the throws and work from under center, the Vikings select McCoy here as the heir apparent to Favre. With McCoy they will get a mobile QB who is a great leader, but above all a proven winner, and when it comes to QB’s that’s the only stat that counts.

31. SEAN WEATHERSPOON 6′1″ 245 OLB MISSOURI

New Orleans drafts for need in this spot going to Weatherspoon to add some youth to the Saints linebacking corps. Weatherspoon ranks out as the top 4-3 linebacker on the board. Weatherspoon is a tackling machine, with good vision, and above average speed. With Will Smith possibly on the way out, defensive end could be a position worth looking at, but one thing I do know is, this pick will be spent on the defensive side of the ball.

32. MIKE IUPATI 6′5″ 330 OG IDAHO

The Colts allowed a league low amount of sacks this season with 13, but in my opinion that has more to do with Peyton’s quick release and blitz recognition, than it does line performance. With Iupati the Colts get the top ranked OG in the draft. Iupati may not be able to step in Week 1 and start, but after some time with the Indy coaching staff, he will no doubt be ready by mid-season 2010, and a full time starter in 2011. The Colts could look to address an injury prone secondary as well.