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					  <title><![CDATA[NFL Draft: Defensive Comparisons]]></title>
					  <link>http://www.sportsgrumblings.com/football/articles/blogs/87/NFL-Draft-Defensive-Comparisons.html</link>
					  <description><![CDATA[



Prediction Key&#160; 

Ridiculous: A player
will have a huge impact and could be a hall of famer one day.

Stud: A great player
that will do better than expected and may have pro bowl potential. 

Solid: A good player
worthy of where they are selected.

Okay: A decent player
that will be a role player at best.

Bust: A player that
has been over valued, and will not develop into an impact player. 

&#160;

Defensive End Rankings

&#160;

1. Everette Brown,
Florida State

Best Fit: He is a little undersized probably would fit
best as an OLB in a 3-4 system.

Prediction: Ridiculous, extremely athletic knows how to
get after the QB, a steal if he drops past the 15th pick.

NFL Comparison: Dwight Freeney &#160; 

&#160;

2. Tyson Jackson, LSU 

Best Fit: Best fit is probably to play DE on a 3-4
defense, but also could play 4-3 end or defensive tackle. 

Prediction: Stud, great combination of strength and
acceleration should be able to make an impact right away.

NFL Comparison: Marcus Spears

&#160;

3. Brian Orakpo, Texas

Best Fit: He is versatile enough to play as a 3-4 OLB
or 4-3 DE.

Prediction: Stud, a good prospect with all the skills,
went up against some top caliber tackles and still preformed.

NFL Comparison: Darren Howard

&#160;

4. Larry English,
Northern Illinois 

Best Fit: Probably too small to play DE, best fit
would be a 3-4 OLB. 

Prediction: Stud, great speed, and awareness will not
have a tough time switching to linebacker.&#160;
Should be a definite first rounder. 

NFL Comparison: Shaun Phillips 

&#160;

5. Robert Ayers,
Tennessee 

Best Fit: He will be ready to start day one best fit
would probably be a 4-3 end.

Prediction: Solid, a good player but he is a little too
hyped should be a late first rounder.

NFL Comparison: Tamba Hali

&#160;

6. Michael Johnson,
Georgia Tech&#160;

Best Fit: A team where he can come in and sit and
learn from some veterans and add some strength.

Prediction: Okay, has a lot of potential with his great
size and athleticism, but he needs to learn how to get the most out of his
skills. 

NFL Comparison: Mathias Kiwanuka

&#160;

7. Aaron Maybin, Penn
State&#160;

Best Fit: Needs to add some weight to play DE in the
NFL 

Prediction: Bust, a one dimensional pass rusher that is
undersized and will get pushed around in the NFL.&#160; He is supposed to be amazing athlete yet he
only starts one year and then runs a 4.88 in the 40 at the combine.&#160;&#160; 

NFL Comparison: Kabeer Gbaja Biamila

&#160;

Overall DE Class Grade: B+. A very good group of defensive ends again this year 7+ may
go in the first round alone.

&#160;

&#160;

Defensive Tackle Rankings

&#160;

1. B.J. Raji, Boston
College

Best Fit: With his strength size and instincts he
could start right away for any team in any system. 

Prediction: Ridiculous, he is 6&#8217;1&#8221; 337 lbs yet he is a
quick as some defensive ends.

NFL Comparison:&#160; Vince
Wilfork

&#160;

2. Ron Brace, Boston
College 

Best Fit: Could play right away for any team needing a big
nose tackle. 

Prediction: Ridiculous, overshadowed by Raji but is a
very good player who should be getting first round attention.

NFL Comparison: Kris Jenkins

&#160;

3. Evander Hood,
Missouri 

Best Fit: A team that needs an interior pass rusher. 

Prediction: Stud, an all around player that can get to
the QB, have to like how he plays every play until the whistle is blown.

NFL Comparison: Tommie Harris

&#160;

4. Peria Jerry, Ole
Miss

Best Fit: inside on a 4-3 defense.

Prediction: Solid, a good player not an elite prospect
like some have him out to be. 

NFL Comparison: Amobi Okoye

&#160;

5. Fili Moala, USC

Best Fit: Probably be best on a team that needs a guy
that can come in and rush the passer on 3rd downs, not an all around
player yet. 

Prediction: Okay, get up field quick but does not have
great awareness and benefited from being on a really good team.

NFL Comparison: Fred Robbins 

&#160;

Overall DT Class Grade: B. A pretty
good class especially with Raji heading it.&#160;

&#160;

&#160;

Outside Linebacker
Rankings

&#160;

1. Aaron Curry, Wake
Forrest 

Best Fit: A great prospect that could play any where.

Prediction: Ridiculous, all the skills and intangibles
should be an impact player right away. &#160;

NFL Comparison: Lance Briggs

&#160;

2. Clay Matthews, USC

Best Fit: lined up at defensive end some times so
would fit nicely as a 3-4 OLB. &#160;

Prediction: Stud, great intensity and work ethic will
help him succeed at the next level.

NFL Comparison: Chad Greenway

&#160;

3. Clint Sintim,
Virgina

Best Fit: Played in a 3-4 system in college so that
would be his best fit.

Prediction: Stud, great awareness and willing to take on
blockers.&#160; &#160;

NFL Comparison: Adalius Thomas

&#160;

4. Brian Cushing, USC

Best Fit: He could fit in on
any team and could play either outside or inside. 

Prediction: Solid, he is all over the field and is not
afraid to deliver some big hits, benefited from playing on a great defense.

NFL Comparison: A.J. Hawk

&#160;

5. Connor Barwin,
Cincinnati &#160;

Best Fit: A very versatile player (used to play tight
end) that could fit in any system.

Prediction: Solid, a very good player, but has been over
hyped.&#160; 

NFL Comparison: Mike Vrabel 

&#160;

Overall OLB Class Grade: B+. Very good class, but the talent level kind of
thins out in the later rounds.

&#160;

&#160;

Middle Linebacker
Rankings

&#160;

1. Rey Maualuga, USC

Best Fit: It would be best for him to go to a team
with a good linebacker coach, he is good but if he is taught better technique
he could be great.

Prediction: Ridiculous, enjoys delivering the big hits,
he is always around the ball.

NFL Comparison: Mike Peterson

&#160;

2. Jasper Brinkley,
South Carolina

Best Fit: He could fit in any where.

Prediction: Stud, a productive player that is being over
looked because of bigger names at the linebacker position.

NFL Comparison: DeMeco Ryans

&#160;

3. &#160;James Laurinaitis, Ohio State

Best Fit: A team that is looking for an all around
guy, not necessarily a playmaker.

Prediction: Bust, overhyped and not nearly as good as
former buckeye A.J. Hawk who people are comparing him to.

NFL Comparison: Lofa Tatupa

&#160;

Overall MLB Class Grade:
D, Other than Maualuga the class is
weak and not very deep.

&#160;

&#160;

Cornerback Rankings

&#160;

1. Malcolm Jenkins,
Ohio State

Best Fit: He could play corner or safety, best fit
would probably be safety because he is so physical.

Prediction: Ridiculous, should be a top 10 pick but may
not because of slow 40 time (4.55), type of guy that proves that the combine is
over rated.

NFL Comparison: Antrel Rolle

&#160;

2. Alphonso Smith,
Wake Forrest

Best Fit: A team that plays their corners off and does
not use bump and run coverage.

Prediction: Ridiculous, a playmaker that has all the
skills to be a top 15 pick, but he is under estimated because of his size.

NFL Comparison: Adam Jones&#160;&#160; 

&#160;

3. Darius Butler,
Connecticut &#160;

Best Fit: A versatile player that could fit on any
team and even play some wide receiver.

Prediction: Stud, a pure football player that will do
what ever it takes to help the team win.

NFL Comparison: Terence Newman

&#160;

4. Vontae Davis,
Illinois 

Best Fit: Needs a team with some veteran players that
he can learn from and mature.

Prediction: Bust, has all the physical tools but he is
missing the intangible and character that you need to succeed.

NFL Comparison: Phillip Buchanon

&#160;

Overall Cornerback Grade: B. A lot of good players but only two or three
may go in the first round.

&#160;

&#160;

Safety Rankings

&#160;

1. Rashad Johnson,
Alabama

Best Fit: Not an elite prospect but could start right
away for any team. 

Prediction: Stud, a ball hawk that is vastly underrated.


NFL Comparison: Michael Griffin

&#160;

2. Louis Delmas,
Western Michigan

Best Fit: a good player with the skills to start right
away best fit is probably free safety. 

Prediction: Solid, all over the field, a playmaker, a
little over rated and still needs to work on some things like wrapping up
runners.

NFL Comparison: Sean Jones

&#160;

3. Michael Hamlin,
Clemson 

Best Fit: Fit in at any team free safety or strong
safety. 

Prediction: Solid, another guy that is very underrated,
should be a second- &#160;to third-rounder but
might not go until fourth round.

NFL Comparison: Darren Sharper 

&#160;

Overall Safety Class Grade: C. Pretty weak class but is an overall very underrated
class.



&#160;

&#160;



]]></description>
					  <author>Keith McGonigle</author>
					  <pubDate>Sat, 25 Apr 2009 00:00:00 CDT</pubDate>
					  <subject />
					</item>

				

					<item>
					  <title><![CDATA[McG&#39;s Mock Draft 2009, v4.0]]></title>
					  <link>http://www.sportsgrumblings.com/football/articles/blogs/86/McGs-Mock-Draft-2009-v40.html</link>
					  <description><![CDATA[






1. &#160;Detroit Lions
&#8211; QB Mathew Stafford,
Georgia - If the Lions want
people to show up to home games this year they will draft Stafford.&#160;
Usually the sexy pick is not the correct pick, but after going 0-16 the Lions
need a player like Stafford with the huge throwing arm and big upside to give
Lions fans some hope.&#160; The smarter pick here might be an OT like Jason
Smith, Eugene Monroe or even OLB Aaron Curry.&#160; After
Lions fans watched what rookie QBs Matt Ryan and Joe Flacco did
for their respective teams last year, it would be hard to pass Stafford up for
another position. 

&#160;

2. St. Louis Rams- OT
Jason Smith, Baylor &#8211; The Rams most
obvious need is an offensive tackle.&#160; The only real question is which OT
should they select?&#160; Smith seems to be the best overall value.&#160; He is very athletic for his position (being a
former tight end), and he is a player that still is very raw and has a lot of
upside.&#160; The only thing that might scare them away from Smith is that he
has very similar characteristics as OT Alex Barron who was drafted 19th
overall by the Rams in 2005.&#160;&#160; Barron has not lived up to the hype
and this might sway the Rams to go with a bigger, safer offensive tackle like Eugene Monroe or Andre Smith.

&#160;

3. Kansas City Chiefs-
OLB Aaron Curry, Wake Forrest &#8211; With former Patriots VP of player personnel Scott Pioli as the new GM for the
Chiefs, there is a very good chance that the Chiefs will try to move this pick
in order to get more picks later in the draft.&#160; If Pioli is not able to do
this he will probably pick the best overall player left: Aaron Curry. Curry can
play inside or outside linebacker and has great awareness, leadership skills,
and smarts.&#160; Combine that with all the physical tools, and the Chiefs
would have a great player to build their defense around.

&#160;

4. Seattle Seahawks &#8211;
QB Mark Sanchez, USC &#8211; Sanchez will most
likely be selected with the 4th pick overall.&#160; It may not be the Seahawks, it could be
another team that traded up like the Jaguars, 49ers, Broncos, Jets or
Buccaneers.&#160; There is too much hype
around Sanchez and there is no way that he will fall much farther than the 4th
pick.&#160; Sanchez would be lucky to be
selected by the Seahawks he can learn from veteran QB Matt Hasselbeck and he would eventually take over a west coast
offense that made QB Seneca Wallace look good. 

&#160;

5. Cleveland Browns &#8211; DE/OLB Brian Orakpo, Texas - When Eric
Mangini took over as head coach for the New York Jets it was surprising to
see the defensive minded coach select two offensive linemen with his first two
picks.&#160; This time around Mangini will probably try to stick with
defense.&#160; Brown is the type of athlete that would be a perfect fit for an
OLB in the 3-4 defense.&#160; Orakpo is a guy that knows how to get after the
QB.&#160; He has good acceleration and speed
but also has great strength and pass rushing moves. He would be a nice addition
to Brown&#8217;s aging defense.

&#160;

6. Cincinnati Bengals
&#8211; WR Michael Crabtree, Texas Tech- The Bengals lost WR T.J.
Houshmandzadeh, and WR Chad &#8220;Ocho
Cinco&#8221; Johnson has openly complained about being in Cincinnati.&#160;
Crabtree is a phenomenal player and may even be the best overall talent in the
draft.&#160; The Bengals obviously have offensive line problems but the best
player available is OT Andre Smith
and there is a lot of baggage associated with him that the Bengals absolutely
can not afford.&#160; 

&#160;

7. Oakland Raiders-
Jeremy Maclin, Missouri
&#8211; The better pick would probably be selecting one of the elite offensive
tackles OT Eugene Monroe or OT Andre Smith if they are still
available.&#160; However, the last time the
raiders selected a sure thing at tackle was in 2004 when they selected OT Robert Gallery with the 2nd
overall pick.&#160; Gallery never panned out
to be the amazing tackle and they ended up passing on Larry Fitzgerald and Roy
Williams.&#160; Al Davis probably does not
want to make the same mistake again. Add that to the fact that the Raiders were
last in the league in passing yards and their leading WR was Johnnie Lee Higgins who had 22
receptions and drafting a WR here seems to be a no brainer.&#160; Maclin fits the perfect Al Davis mold for WR:
fast, big, versatile and has the ability to score every time he touches the
ball.&#160; The Franchise QB JaMarcus Russell is also in Davis&#8217; ear convincing
him to bring in some WR help. 

&#160;

8. Jacksonville
Jaguars &#8211; DT B.J. Raji, Boston College &#8211; One of the reasons the Jaguars have had such a formidable
defense over the years is because of the two huge DTs up front.&#160; With the
departure of DT Marcus Stroud last year their defensive line became much
less formidable.&#160; Adding B.J. Raji along side DT John Henderson
would bring back the scary duo the Jaguars used to posses.&#160; Raji is a big
powerful DT who requires double teams and would be a perfect fit to fill the
void left by Stroud.

&#160;

9. Green Bay Packers- Eugene
Monroe, Virginia &#8211; Eugene Monroe is
great player and if he were to slip out of the top five it would be a complete
steal.&#160; The Packers have some more
glaring needs on the defensive side of the ball, but a franchise left tackle
does not just fall into your lap every day.&#160;
With LT Chad Clifton getting old and RT still up in the air, Monroe
would be a great fit for the Packers. Monroe could come in right away and play
LT, RT or even guard.&#160; It would be nice
to have a player like Monroe protecting QB Aaron
Rodgers blind side.&#160;&#160;&#160; 

&#160;&#160;

10. San Fransico 49ers
&#8211; OT Andre Smith, Alabama
&#8211; The 49ers are still in need of a franchise QB, but they may not be ready to
give up on Shaun Hill and former
first overall pick Alex Smith.&#160;
It is not easy to succeed as a QB, especially when your offensive line is
letting up a league leading 55 sacks and your best WR, Issac Bruce, is
36.&#160; The 49ers really need to address other problems on their team before
they draft another QB.&#160; Andre Smith has top 3 overall talents, but he just
needs to be kept on a leash and motivated.&#160; New coach Mike Singletary has the energy and discipline to get the best out
of Andre Smith and he would be a great fit for the 49ers.

&#160;

11. Buffalo Bills &#8211;&#8211; OT
Michael Oher, Ole Miss -&#160; Instead of
signing OT Jason Peters, one of the
best tackles in the NFL, to a long term contract they traded him away for the 28th
overall pick and a fourth rounder.&#160;
Unless the Bills know something about Peters that the rest of the NFL is
not aware of, this was a really bad move.&#160;
They are going to now have to pay lots of money for two untested first rounders
instead of just giving the money to Peters, a Pro Bowl franchise left tackle.&#160; With this pick they will probably try to fill
the huge void left by Peters.&#160; Oher is a
very good player but might be a reach with this pick.&#160; The Bills may try to package this pick and
trade up and get one of the three elite tackles. 

&#160;

12. Denver Broncos &#8211;
CB/S Malcolm Jenkins, Ohio St. - The Broncos biggest need is on the defensive side of the
ball (they were bottom of the league in almost every defensive category
including 30th in points allowed giving up 28 a game).&#160; The
Broncos had an extremely active offseason.&#160;
The biggest story, of course, was that new Coach Josh McDaniels was forced to trade QB Jay Cutler after their publicized feud.&#160; Luckily they got the better end of the trade,
getting two first round picks and QB Kyle
Orton, a guy that could thrive in McDaniels&#8217; offense.&#160; They also brought in a lot of veteran leaders
through free agency on both sides of the ball. The only problem is their
secondary is aging, and drafting Jenkins would bring some much needed
youth.&#160; Jenkins is very good in coverage and has the skills to transition
to safety.&#160; If the Broncos draft him he will be able to learn from two of
the best defensive backs in the league in CB Champ Bailey and FS Brian
Dawkins.&#160; 

&#160;

13. Washington
Redskins &#8211; DE Aaron Maybin, Penn St. - There have been rumors going around that the Redskins are
possibly looking to draft a QB, but Jason Campbell had a good year last year and
is still very young so they may just be putting on a show hoping to bait
someone into a trade.&#160; There real need is someone that can rush the
QB.&#160; They only had 24 sacks as a team last year and they released DE Jason Taylor.&#160; DT Albert Haynesworth will help, but he is
not really known as a pass rushing DT.&#160; Maybin is a guy that could come in
right away and have an impact.&#160; He is a pure pass rusher, who is very
quick off the snap.&#160; He needs to bulk up, but he could help fill the void
left by Jason Taylor. 

&#160;

14. New Orleans
Saints- CB Vontae Davis, Illinois &#8211; The Saints had a record breaking offense last year, yet they
failed to reach the playoffs.&#160; Defense wins championships and that is why
the Saints need to address the defensive side of the ball.&#160; After releasing
Mike McKenzie the Saints really need a #1 corner.&#160; They have a
bunch of guys that on their very best days are #2 corners.&#160; If Malcolm
Jenkins is not available then they may try and reach for Davis.&#160; Davis much like his brother on the 49ers, Vernon,
is a tremendous athlete.&#160; There are some
concerns about his character but has too much talent and potential to pass up.

&#160;

15. Houston Texans &#8211;
WR Darrius Heyward-Bey, Maryland - The Texans biggest needs are probably Safety and Linebacker,
the only problem is that there really is not a stand out safety in this draft
other than Malcolm Jenkins, and the Texans usually draft linebackers in
later rounds (Xavier Adibi 4th round, Demeco Ryans 2nd
round, Jason Babin 2nd round, Antwan Peek 3rd round).&#160;
Getting a WR to compliment Andre Johnson would make QB Matt Schaub
very happy.&#160; The Texans saw what the Cardinals were able to do with their
dangerous combination of WRs Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin.
&#160;Imagine trying to game plan for Johnson, one of the most dominant WRs in
the NFL and Heyward-Bey, a tall (6&#8217;2&#8221;) burner (4.30 in the 40) that will
force teams to have a safety over the top.&#160; The two of them would make a
scary duo for any team to cover. &#160;

&#160;

16. San Diego Chargers
&#8211; DE Tyson Jackson, LSU
- The Chargers have had a very quiet offseason, and other than the LT&#8217;s newly
restructured deal they really have not made a splash in free agency.&#160; They
do have a very good team and there really are not too many glaring needs.&#160;
They did, however, lose DE Igor
Olshansky the 6&#8217;6&#8221; 309 lb DE that helped anchor their 3-4 defense.&#160;
Tyson Jackson is a guy that would fit perfectly into the 3-4 defense, he has
the size (6&#8217;4&#8221; 296 lbs.) and the strength to fit in right away.&#160;

&#160;

17. New York Jets &#8211; QB
Josh Freeman, Kansas St &#8211;
The chances of the Jets being able to draft one of the top three QB&#8217;s with
their 17th pick is unlikely.&#160; It
is more likely that the Jets or another team will try to trade up to grab
Freeman before another team can land him.&#160;
The Jets are a team that really needs a QB.&#160; After losing QB Brett Favre to retirement, the Jets are
left with Kellen Clemens.&#160; They may claim that they are sticking
with Clemens, but do you really think new coach Rex Ryan wants to go
into his first year with a guy that has only started eight games and has a 1:2
TD to INT ratio?&#160; Freeman may be a project guy, but he has so much upside
that it would be tough for the Jets to pass on him.&#160;

&#160;

18. Denver Broncos
(From: Chicago) &#8211; MLB Rey Maualuga, USC &#8211; Josh McDaniels&#160;is going to be under a lot of pressure
and scrutiny this year after trading what some believed to be the next John Elway.&#160;&#160; He may be tempted to bolster his offense
with this pick by drafting a RB or offensive linemen, but the right pick would
be to add some more depth on defense.&#160;
The Broncos are switching to the 3-4 and having two middle linebackers
that can stop the run is very important.&#160;
Maualuga very good at stopping the run and he brings great intensity and
leadership.&#160; He would be a great addition
to the Broncos defense.&#160;&#160;&#160; 

&#160;

19. Tampa Bay
Buccaneers &#8211; DE Robert Ayers,
Tennessee &#8211; The Buccaneers recently signed the best free agent QB available,
Byron Leftwich.&#160; Leftwich proved to be a valuable backup for
the Steelers but in no way should he be considered a great starting QB.&#160; The Buccaneers are most likely still looking
to land a franchise QB for the future in this draft. If they are not able to
trade up they will probably try to land another DE opposite of Gaines Adams.&#160; Ayers&#8217; is a guy whose stock has
been soaring ever since the senior bowl.&#160; He is not a sack artist but he
knows how to get after the QB.&#160; He is very strong and solid against the
run.&#160; He would be a nice addition to the
Buccaneers. 

&#160;

20. Detroit Lions
(From: Dallas) - DT Peria Jerry, Ole Miss - The Lions need to address the defensive side with this
pick.&#160; They finished last in points allowed, yards allowed and rushing
yards allowed.&#160; Most of their starters would be back ups for other teams,
and the only player that has job security right now is OLB Ernie Sims.&#160; They will probably try to draft the best defensive
player on their board here.&#160; Jerry is
another guy whose stock has been rising and many believe he is an elite
prospect.&#160; The Lions have needs every
where, drafting Jerry would help fill one of the big holes they have.

&#160;

21. Philadelphia
Eagles &#8211; RB Knowshon Moreno, Georgia - The Eagles have not had a 1st round pick for the
last two years so it will be interesting to see how they use this pick.&#160;
When they have had 1st round picks in the past they usually stick
with the non-flashy picks and get defensive and offensive lineman.&#160; There defensive line is always good, and
after acquiring OT Jason Peters from
the Bills their offensive line looks to be very solid.&#160; The biggest concern has to be RB.&#160; RB Brian
Westbrook is a very good RB and receiver out of the backfield but he seems
to always be getting injured.&#160; They also lost the RB that pounded the ball
inside in Correll Buckhalter.&#160;
There have been reports that the Eagle&#8217;s want to draft Moreno so it
would be no surprise if they draft him here.&#160;
Moneno is a guy that is not afraid to run inside and is just a natural
runner. Moreno may be the player that they need to get them out of their
playoff slump.

&#160;

22. Minnesota Vikings
- OT Ebon Britton, Arizona &#8211;It
is no secret that the Vikings offense rests solely on the shoulders of RB Adrian Peterson and RB Chester Taylor.&#160; The two of them combined
for over 2100 yards rushing last year.&#160; The Vikings would probably jump at
any opportunity to bolster their run game.&#160; The weakest part of their
dominate line is the right tackle position. OT Ryan Cook is not getting the job done and they have been actively
looking for a replacement.&#160; Britton is a solid player that would fit well
at right tackle, he has good technique and awareness and could help open up
some holes on the right side of the line.&#160;
The Vikings also allowed 45 sacks last year and Britton could help out
with this problem as well.&#160; 

&#160;

23. New England
Patriots - DE/OLB Everette Brown, Florida St. - The Patriots once again have multiple picks
in the first two rounds and not a lot of needs.&#160; But after trading away
team leader OLB Mike Vrabel, their biggest concern has to be OLB.&#160;
When it comes to OLB, the Patriots usually try to bring in older, cheaper, guys
that are willing to take less money in order to be on a winning team.&#160; If
they are not able to pick up a veteran player they will probably try to address
this issue in the draft.&#160;The only reason Brown would be left at this point
is because teams think that he is not a prototypical defensive end or
linebacker.&#160; Brown is very talented and
could be an impact player for any team that he plays for.&#160; He fits the Patriots mold for linebacker: he
is big, strong, fast and versatile.&#160; With
a younger, faster defense the Patriots should be favorites to win the super
bowl this year.

&#160;

24. Atlanta Falcons &#8211; OLB
Clay Matthews, USC - The Falcons were one
of the biggest surprises of last year: after going 4-12 in 2007, they drafted
QB Matt Ryan and brought in RB Michael Turner and built a team around
them and ended up going 11-5.&#160; The Falcons are a young team that looks
like they are going to be a very good for a long time.&#160; They lost a lot of
key guys in free agency on the defensive side of the ball so this pick has to
help solidify their defense.&#160; They lost OLB Keith Brooking, a leader and cornerstone of their defense for the
last 11 years.&#160; Matthews is one of the
three linebackers that could be first round picks from USC.&#160; Matthews brings similar intensity and
toughness as Maualuga and Cushing, and is an all around
linebacker that can do whatever is asked of him.&#160; He could be a player that could develop into
the next Brookings for the Falcons.

&#160;

25. Miami Dolphins &#8211;
DE/OLB Larry English, Northern Illinois - The Dolphins finally were able to utilize all the talent on
their team with coach Tony Sparano and VP of Football Operations Bill
Parcells running things.&#160; The Dolphins are another team where the
future looks bright and this draft will be very important for the future of
their organization.&#160; When Parcells was with the Cowboys he found a hidden
gem in DeMarcus Ware out of Troy.&#160; He will probably try to bring in
a similar type OLB that can rush the passer and play the spot opposite of OLB Jerry
Porter in the 3-4 defense.&#160; English is a guy that is much like Ware in
that he went to a small school and is not very well known.&#160; He had
tremendous production in college and really knows how to get after the
QB.&#160; English would be a good fit for the Dolphins and their 3-4
defense.&#160; 

&#160;

26. Baltimore Ravens &#8211;
WR Percy Harvin, Florida &#8211;
The Ravens have lost a lot of good players because of free agency and cuts to
free up salary cap space; luckily they still have MLB Ray Lewis and S Ed
Reed anchoring their defense and 2nd year QB Joe Flacco leading
their offense.&#160; The one thing they have really been missing on the
offensive side of the ball is a playmaker.&#160; The one word used to describe
Percy Harvin is playmaker.&#160; He kills teams running or catching the ball
and is a terrific athlete, very similar to Reggie Bush.&#160; Harvin had
a great pro day and has top 10 talent.&#160; The
only reason he would fall this far is because of team needs or some character
concerns.

&#160;

27. Indianapolis Colts
&#8211; DT Evander Hood, Missouri-
The Colts have always had a number of good defensive ends, but they just can
not seem to find defensive tackles that can clog up the middle and help with
run defense.&#160; Hood is a guy that would
fit perfectly in the Colts 4-3 defense.&#160;
He is very quick off the snap and has great field awareness and has a
non-stop motor. Hood would certainly help the Colts lower the 123 rushing yards
that they were giving up per game. 

&#160;

28. Buffalo Bills
(From: Philadelphia) &#8211; TE Brandon Pettigrew, Oklahoma St. &#8211; The biggest need for this Bills is offensive
line help.&#160; If they address the offensive
line with their first pick (11th overall) they will probably try to
bring in a defensive lineman or a TE.&#160;
Pettigrew is the really the only TE in this draft that is being
considered as a first round pick.&#160; He is
an all around player that can help out with the Bills run and receiving games.&#160; Pettigrew would be a nice pick up for the
Bills if he fell to the 28th pick.&#160;&#160;&#160;


&#160;

29. New York Giants &#8211;
WR Hakeem Nicks, North Carolina &#8211; QB Eli Manning has developed into a good QB in the
NFL, but he is not the same QB without WR Plaxico Burress on the
field.&#160; The 6&#8217;5&#8221; Burress gave him big target to throw it up to and saved
him on a lot on poorly-thrown balls.&#160; With Burress being cut because of
his legal issues the Giants need to bring in a tall, physical WR to help
Manning out.&#160; This is a very good wide receiving class and considering
that WRs usually fall in the draft the Giants will more than likely have a lot
of WRs to choose from.&#160; Nicks may not posses the same height as Burress
(he is 6&#8217;1&#8221;) but he is very physical and plays like he is much taller.&#160; Nicks
is not afraid to go over the middle and he is known for making some spectacular
catches.&#160; Nicks has a ton of potential and has the ability to step in and
be the #1 WR for the Giants.&#160; 

&#160;

30. Tennessee Titians
&#8211; CB Alphonso Smith, Wake Forest &#8211; The Titans were another surprising team last year going 13-3
and dominating their competition in the first half of the year.&#160; Their
strong defense and great RB combination has teams now trying to emulate
them.&#160; The Titans should probably try to get a #1 WR, CB, MLB or DT
depending on who the best player available is at this spot.&#160; Smith is a
player that really should be drafted top 15, but because he is 5&#8217;9&#8221; he has been
labeled as &#8220;too small&#8221;.&#160; Teams should just look other great defensive
backs around the league to see that judging Smith by height alone is a mistake
(look at Asante Samuel 5&#8217;10&#8221;, Bob Sanders 5&#8217;8&#8221;, DeAngelo Hall
5&#8217;10&#8221;, Adam &#8220;Pacman&#8221; Jones 5&#8217;10&#8221;).&#160; Smith would be a steal for the
Titans and it would really help them sure up their secondary.

&#160;

31. Arizona Cardinals
&#8211; RB Chris Wells, Ohio State &#8211; It was very surprising to see the Cardinals, the team that
everyone assumed was the worst team in the playoffs, making it to the Super Bowl.&#160;
What was even more surprising was that they made it to the super bowl without a
dependable running back.&#160; They were probably one of the most dominate
offensive teams in the league last year, yet they were last in rushing yards
per game with 73.6.&#160; RBs Edgerinn James and Tim Hightower
are not the answers to their problems.&#160;Many believe Wells is a top 15
prospect so the Cardinals would be lucky to see Wells here.&#160; Wells is a big back that can break tackles
and has some speed.&#160; There is no question
that Wells could help out their anemic rushing attack. &#160;&#160;&#160;

&#160;

32. Pittsburgh
Steelers &#8211; OG Duke Robinson, Oklahoma - The Super Bowl champs do not have any glaring needs and baring
any injuries they look like they could be in the mix for another Super Bowl
run. One problem last year was seeing QB Ben Roethlisberger, who was
sacked 46 times, on his back a lot.&#160; Adding depth to the offensive line would
help out in a big way.&#160; Robinson is a massive guard (6&#8217;5&#8221;, 329 lbs) who is
versatile enough to move over to tackle.&#160; Robinson would give the Steelers
some security and would definitely compete for a starting job. &#160; 


]]></description>
					  <author>Keith McGonigle</author>
					  <pubDate>Sat, 25 Apr 2009 00:00:00 CDT</pubDate>
					  <subject />
					</item>

				

					<item>
					  <title><![CDATA[NFL Draft Rankings:  NFL Counterparts]]></title>
					  <link>http://www.sportsgrumblings.com/football/articles/blogs/85/NFL-Draft-Rankings--NFL-Counterparts.html</link>
					  <description><![CDATA[



&#160;











Prediction Key &#160;&#160;

Ridiculous: A player will have a huge impact and could be a hall
of famer one day.

Stud: A great player that will do better than expected and may
have pro bowl potential. 

Solid: A good player worthy of where they are selected.

Okay: A decent player that will be a role player at best.

Bust: A player that has been over valued, and will not develop
into an impact player. 

&#160;

Quarterback Rankings

&#160;

1. Matthew Stafford, Georgia 

Best Fit: It
would probably be best for him to sit a year behind a veteran and learn.&#160; He is a very talented QB and still has a lot
of room for improvement.

Prediction:
Stud, has improved every year and become more of a QB than just a thrower, has
a lot of potential but still needs to work on his footwork and not forcing throws.

NFL Comparison:&#160; Jay Cutler

&#160;

2. Josh Freeman, Kansas State

Best Fit: A
team that he can learn from a veteran and develop could end up ruining his
confidence if he is thrown into a starting job right away.

Prediction:
Solid, really depends on which team drafts him, still needs a lot of work but
could definitely turn into a good pro QB.

NFL Comparison:
JaMarcus Russell

&#160;

3. Mark Sanchez, USC

Best Fit: A
west coast offense.&#160; He needs an offense
that is scripted and does not depend on the QB dropping back and just slinging
it.

Prediction: Bust,
he is over hyped, inexperienced, and is not a confident passer under
pressure.&#160; USC makes there QBs look
better than they are.&#160; He was not able to
win a starting job from John David Booty (third-stringer on the Vikings), and
was not nearly as good as Matt Leinart in the same system (Leinart is a back
upto 36 year old Kurt Warner).

NFL Comparison:
Derek Anderson

&#160;

4. Nate Davis, Ball State

Best Fit: A
back up.&#160; Most QBs that come from small
schools have a tough time transitioning to the NFL (except maybe QB Joe Flacco).&#160; He needs to get used to the speed of the NFL
before he gets a chance at playing. &#160;

Prediction:
Okay, he has good arm and had great production but is a project pick.

NFL Comparison:
Anthony Wright

&#160;

5. Graham Harrell, Texas Tech

Best Fit: A back
up for a team that runs a lot of shotgun and has a good offensive line.&#160; He proved in college that he is extremely
effective QB in this type of system.

Prediction:
Solid, will need to learn to take snaps and reads from under center but is a
very good decision maker and has probably the best accuracy of anyone in the
draft.

NFL Comparison:
Ken Dorsey 

&#160;

Overall QB Class Grade: D+.
The top three guys will most likely be drafted in the first round but after
that, another QB may not be drafted until the 3rd or 4th
round.

&#160;

Running Back Rankings

&#160;

1. Knowshon Moreno, Georgia 

Best Fit: He
is a guy that could start right away for any team.

Prediction:
Stud, did not blow anyone away with his combine numbers but makes up for it
with his intensity.

NFL Comparison:
Kenny Irons

&#160;

2. LeSean McCoy, Pittsburgh 

Best Fit: An
offensive line that can open holes.&#160; He
hits the hole very hard, but he is not going to run through defensive tackles. 

Prediction:
Stud, did not put up very great measurable at his pro day, but is one of the
best running backs on tape and brings a lot of energy.

NFL Comparison:
Thomas Jones 

&#160;

3. Chris &#8220;Beanie&#8221; Wells, Ohio St.

Best Fit: In
a two back system, had problems with injuries at Ohio St. and is not a great outside
runner.

Prediction:
Okay, not overly fast, even though he is big he is really not a bruiser, a good
back but benefited from a good offensive line, does not have first round
talent. 

NFL Comparison: Chris
Perry

&#160;

4. Donald Brown, Connecticut

Best Fit: A
team where he is not asked to carry the offense, he is a great running back and
has the intangibles, but he is not going to take over a game.

Prediction:
Solid, good at everything but not really great at any one thing.&#160; Will contribute if given playing time in the
NFL, but is a stretch as a first round pick.

NFL Comparison: Matt
Forte

&#160;

5. James Davis, Clemson

Best Fit: Has
great vision and cutting ability, would fit perfectly in a zone blocking scheme
like the Broncos run.

Prediction:
Stud, an underrated RB, deserves to go in the 2nd or 3rd
round but probably will fall.

NFL Comparison:
Joseph Addai

&#160;

Overall RB Class Grade: B-.
It is a very deep class of RBs but no really elite backs like an Adrian
Peterson or Clinton Portis.

&#160;

&#160;

Wide Receiver Rankings

&#160;

1. Michael Crabtree, Texas Tech 

Best Fit: Does
not really matter where he goes he is going to be a legit #1 WR. 

Prediction:
Ridiculous, he has every thing you look for in a WR. &#160;

NFL Comparison: Andre
Johnson 

&#160;

2. Jeremy Maclin, Missouri 

Best Fit: A
team that has possession WRs but is in need of a burner that can stretch the
field.

Prediction: Stud,
great speed and skills but even though he is over 6 feet and 200 lbs. he plays
more like a small WR and not very physical, avoids contact.

NFL Comparison:
Santana Moss 

&#160;

3. Darius Hayward-Bey, Maryland

Best Fit: Never
really had a good QB in college, needs a QB that can air it out and get him the
ball down field. 

Prediction: Stud,
may be a guy that takes a year or two to develop, but he has too much talent
not to succeed. 

NFL Comparison: Ted
Ginn Jr.

&#160;

4. Percy Harvin, Florida

Best Fit: A team
that knows how to use him, gets him in open space with screens, reverses
pitches, quick passes, treat him almost like a 3rd down back.

Prediction: Solid,
if a team uses him right he could scare a lot of defenses.&#160; But if a team is looking for a true #1 WR
this is not the guy they are looking for. 

NFL Comparison: RB
Reggie Bush

&#160;

5. Hakeem Nicks, North Carolina 

Upside: Fit in anywhere as
a very good possession receiver.

Prediction: Stud,
played on a bad team and was still was able to produce and get open.&#160; 

NFL Comparison: T.J. Houshmandzadeh

&#160;

Overall WR Class Grade: A.
Very deep class of WRs.&#160; WRs usually fall
later in the draft but it would not be surprising to see four or five go in the
first 20 picks.

&#160;

&#160;

Tight End Rankings

&#160;

1. Brandon Pettigrew, Oklahoma St.

Best Fit: He
is good at receiving but nothing to write home about, more of a blocker and
would be best suited on a running team that uses multiple tight ends.

Prediction:
Solid, A good player but does not bring the athleticism or skill set that teams
look for in TEs now a days (Antonio Gates, Vernon Davis, Kellen Winslow Jr., or
Benjamin Watson).&#160; Should at very best be
a late first round pick.

NFL Comparison:
Kyle Brady

&#160;

2. Chase Coffman, Missouri

Best Fit:
Big and can catch the ball (90 receptions his senior year).&#160; Does not posses a lot of speed but would
present a nice threat over the middle for any team.

Prediction:
Stud, a very productive TE in college, he is a guy that just finds away to get
open and is more athletic then he appears. 

NFL Comparison:
Kevin Boss

&#160;

3. Cornelius Ingram, Florida 

Best Fit: He
should be used mostly as a pass catching tight end, plays more like a WR than a
TE.

Prediction: Solid,
maybe considered a first round pick if he did not injure himself before his
senior year.

NFL Comparison: TE
Alex Smith

&#160;

4. Travis Beckum, Wisconsin

Best Fit:
Another guy that had a poor senior year due to multiple injuries.&#160; He is a very good pass catching tight end and
does not mind taking the hits over the middle.

Prediction:
Solid, if he can stay healthy he would be a steal for any team. 

NFL Comparison:
Billy Miller

&#160;

5. Jared Cook, South Carolina

Best Fit:
Extremely athletic dominated at the combine, but is very raw as a tight end and
needs a lot of work and coaching.&#160; Best
fit would be at a team that has depth and patience.

Prediction:
Okay, lot of potential but just has too many things that he needs to work on.

NFL Comparison:
L.J. Smith

&#160;

Overall TE Class Grade: C-.
There is some talent in the 2nd to 3rd round range but
there really is no standout guy that should be selected in the first round.

&#160;

&#160;

Offensive Lineman Rankings

&#160;

1. OT Jason Smith, Baylor

Best Fit: A
rare talent at tackle that could fit in on any team and make a big impact right
away.

Prediction:
Ridiculous, has everything you look for in a franchise left tackle.

NFL Comparison: D'Brickashaw
Ferguson

&#160;

2. OT Eugene Monroe, Virginia

Best Fit:
Another very talented player, he could fit in on any team and play left or
right tackle and even guard if needed.

Prediction:
Ridiculous, comes from a school with a history of superb offensive lineman and
he should be no different.

NFL Comparison: Jordan
Gross&#160;&#160; 

&#160;

3. OT Andre Smith, Alabama 

Best Fit:
All sorts of talents, but needs a coach and a team that will get the most out
of him 

Prediction:
Stud, if he did not have character concerns he would probably be the first
tackle drafted.

NFL Comparison: Walter
Jones

&#160;

4. OT Michael Oher, Ole Miss

Best Fit:
Lot of skills but needs a coach that keeps him motivated and can get the most
out of him.

Prediction:
Stud, another guy with all the physical tools.

NFL Comparison: Orlando
Pace

&#160;

5. C Alex Mack, California

Best Fit: He
could play any where; he brings a lot of intensity and is not afraid to go all
out until the whistle blows.

Prediction:
Stud, a great player with the attitude you look for in a center.

NFL Comparison:
Shaun O&#8217;hara

&#160;

Overall Offensive Line Class Grade: A+. A very deep, very talented group of linemen.&#160; One of the best classes in a long time.





]]></description>
					  <author>Keith McGonigle</author>
					  <pubDate>Tue, 21 Apr 2009 00:00:00 CDT</pubDate>
					  <subject />
					</item>

				

					<item>
					  <title><![CDATA[McG&#39;s Mock Draft 2009, v3.0]]></title>
					  <link>http://www.sportsgrumblings.com/football/articles/blogs/84/McGs-Mock-Draft-2009-v30.html</link>
					  <description><![CDATA[



Aaron Curry, LB Wake Forrest











1. &#160;Detroit Lions
&#8211; QB Mathew Stafford,
Georgia - If the Lions want
people to show up to home games this year they will draft Stafford.&#160;
Usually the sexy pick is not the correct pick, but after going 0-16 the Lions
need a player like Stafford with the huge throwing arm and big upside to give
Lions fans some hope.&#160; The smarter pick here might be an OT like Jason
Smith, Eugene Monroe or even OLB Aaron Curry.&#160; After
Lions fans watched what rookie QBs Matt Ryan and Joe Flacco did
for their respective teams last year, it would be hard to pass Stafford up for
another position. 

&#160;

2. St. Louis Rams- OT
Jason Smith, Baylor &#8211; The Rams most
obvious need is an offensive tackle.&#160; The only real question is which OT
should they select?&#160; Smith seems to be the best overall value.&#160; He is very athletic for his position (being a
former tight end), and he is a player that still is very raw and has a lot of
upside.&#160; The only thing that might scare them away from Smith is that he
has very similar characteristics as OT Alex Barron who was drafted 19th
overall by the Rams in 2005.&#160;&#160; Barron has not lived up to the hype
and this might sway the Rams to go with a bigger, safer offensive tackle like Eugene Monroe or Andre Smith.

&#160;

3. Kansas City Chiefs-
OLB Aaron Curry, Wake Forrest &#8211; With former Patriots VP of player personnel Scott Pioli as the new GM for the
Chiefs, there is a very good chance that the Chiefs will try to move this pick
in order to get more picks later in the draft.&#160; If Pioli is not able to do
this he will probably pick the best overall player left: Aaron Curry. Curry can
play inside or outside linebacker and has great awareness, leadership skills,
and smarts.&#160; Combine that with all the physical tools, and the Chiefs
would have a great player to build their defense around.

&#160;

4. Seattle Seahawks &#8211;
OT Eugene Monroe, Virginia
&#8211; The two biggest needs for the Seahawks this past offseason were WR and
DT.&#160; With the big signings of WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh, and DT Colin
Cole the Seahawks solved their two biggest problems.&#160; The best pick
here is to help their aging offensive line.&#160; Monroe is a very solid player
who could step in right away.&#160; Monroe can come in and take over for OT Walter
Jones if he is not healthy or play guard if need be.

&#160;

5. Cleveland Browns &#8211;
OLB Everette Brown, Florida St. &#8211; When Eric Mangini took over as head coach for the New
York Jets it was surprising to see the defensive minded coach select two
offensive linemen with his first two picks.&#160; This time around Mangini will
probably try to stick with defense.&#160; Brown is the type of athlete that
would be a perfect fit for an OLB in the 3-4 defense.&#160; He has tremendous
acceleration and speed but also has great strength and technique.&#160; He is
only 6&#8217;2&#8221; but has too much talent to pass up.

&#160;

6. Cincinnati Bengals
&#8211; WR Michael Crabtree, Texas Tech- The Bengals lost WR T.J.
Houshmandzadeh, and WR Chad &#8220;Ocho
Cinco&#8221; Johnson has openly complained about being in Cincinnati.&#160;
Crabtree is a phenomenal player and may even be the best overall talent in the
draft.&#160; The Bengals obviously have offensive line problems but the best
player available is OT Andre Smith
and there is a lot of baggage associated with him that the Bengals absolutely
can not afford.&#160; 

&#160;

7. Oakland Raiders- WR
Jeremy Maclin, Missouri
&#8211; The Raiders were last in the league in passing yards and their leading WR was
Johnnie Lee Higgins who had 22
receptions.&#160; There is no question that the Raiders need some help at this
position.&#160; Maclin fits the perfect Al Davis mold for WR: fast, big,
versatile and has the ability to score every time he touches the ball.&#160; The
Franchise QB JaMarcus Russell is also in Davis&#8217; ear convincing him to bring in
some WR help. 

&#160;

8. Jacksonville
Jaguars &#8211; DT B.J. Raji, Boston College &#8211; One of the reasons the Jaguars have had such a formidable
defense over the years is because of the two huge DTs up front.&#160; With the
departure of DT Marcus Stroud last year their defensive line became much
less formidable.&#160; Adding B.J. Raji along side DT John Henderson
would bring back the scary duo the Jaguars used to posses.&#160; Raji is a big
powerful DT who requires double teams and would be a perfect fit to fill the
void left by Stroud.

&#160;

9. Green Bay Packers-
DE/OLB Brian Orakpo, Texas -
The Packers are another team that has decided to switch over to the 3-4
defense.&#160; The need for a good pass rushing OLBs is becoming extremely
important in the NFL, especially if you are running the 3-4 (look at DaMarcus
Ware, Shawn Merriman, Terrell Suggs, even guys trying to transition like Jason
Taylor and Julius Peppers).&#160; In order to build a great 3-4
defense the Packers need to bring in a pass rushing demon like Orakpo.&#160; He
has great size (6-3, 263), acceleration, and a nose for the ball. &#160;With
linebacker A.J. Hawk most likely moving to inside linebacker and
pro-bowler DE Aaron Kampman moving to OLB, the Packers still have a need
for an OLB and with Orakpo they would have one of the youngest and best front 7
next year.

&#160;

10. San Fransico 49ers
&#8211; OT Andre Smith, Alabama
&#8211; The 49ers are still in need of a franchise QB, but they may not be ready to
give up on Shaun Hill and former
first overall pick Alex Smith.&#160;
It is not easy to succeed as a QB, especially when your offensive line is
letting up a league leading 55 sacks and your best WR, Issac Bruce, is
36.&#160; The 49ers really need to address other problems on their team before
they draft another QB.&#160; Andre Smith has top 3 overall talents, but he just
needs to be kept on a leash and motivated.&#160; New coach Mike Singletary has the energy and discipline to get the best out
of Andre Smith and he would be a great fit for the 49ers.

&#160;

11. Buffalo Bills &#8211;&#8211; OT
Michael Oher, Ole Miss -&#160; Instead of
signing OT Jason Peters, one of the
best tackles in the NFL, to a long term contract they traded him away for the 28th
overall pick and a fourth rounder. &#160;Unless the Bills know something about Peters
that the rest of the NFL is not aware of, this was a really bad move.&#160; They are going to now have to pay lots of
money for two untested first rounders instead of just giving the money to
Peters a pro-bowl franchise left tackle.&#160;
With this pick they will probably try to fill the huge void left by
Peters.&#160; Oher is a very good player but
might be a reach with this pick.&#160; The
Bills may try to package this pick and trade up and get one of the three elite
tackles. 

&#160;

12. Denver Broncos &#8211;
CB/S Malcolm Jenkins, Ohio St. - The Broncos biggest need is on the defensive side of the
ball (they were bottom of the league in almost every defensive category
including 30th in points allowed giving up 28 a game).&#160; The
Broncos had an extremely active offseason.&#160;
The biggest story, of course, was that new Coach Josh McDaniels was forced to trade QB Jay Cutler after their
publicized feud.&#160; Luckily they got the
better end of the trade, getting two first round picks and QB Kyle Orton, a guy that could thrive in
McDaniels&#8217; offense.&#160; They also brought in
a lot of veteran leaders through free agency on both sides of the ball. The
only problem is their secondary is aging, and drafting Jenkins would bring some
much needed youth.&#160; Jenkins is very good in coverage and has the skills to
transition to safety.&#160; If the broncos draft him he will be able to learn
from two of the best defensive backs in the league in CB Champ Bailey and FS Brian
Dawkins.&#160; 

&#160;

13. Washington
Redskins &#8211; DE Aaron Maybin, Penn St. - There have been rumors going around that the Redskins are
possibly looking to draft a QB, but Jason Campbell had a good year last year
and is still very young so they may just be putting on a show hoping to bait
someone into a trade.&#160; There real need is someone that can rush the
QB.&#160; They only had 24 sacks as a team last year and they released DE Jason Taylor.&#160; DT Albert Haynesworth will help, but he is
not really known as a pass rushing DT.&#160; Maybin is a guy that could come in
right away and have an impact.&#160; He is a pure pass rusher, who is very
quick off the snap.&#160; He needs to bulk up, but he could help fill the void
left by Jason Taylor. 

&#160;

14. New Orleans
Saints- CB Vontae Davis, Illinois &#8211; The Saints had a record breaking offense last year, yet they
failed to reach the playoffs.&#160; Defense wins championships and that is why
the Saints need to address the defensive side of the ball.&#160; After
releasing Mike McKenzie the Saints really need a #1 corner.&#160; They
have a bunch of guys that on their very best days are #2 corners.&#160; If Malcolm
Jenkins is not available then they may try and reach for Davis.&#160; Davis much like his brother on the 49ers, Vernon,
is a tremendous athlete.&#160; There are some
concerns about his character but has too much talent and potential to pass up.

&#160;

15. Houston Texans &#8211;
WR Darrius Heyward-Bey, Maryland - The Texans biggest needs are probably Safety and Linebacker,
the only problem is that there really is not a stand out safety in this draft
other than Malcolm Jenkins, and the Texans usually draft linebackers in
later rounds (Xavier Adibi 4th round, Demeco Ryans 2nd
round, Jason Babin 2nd round, Antwan Peek 3rd round).&#160;
Getting a WR to compliment Andre Johnson would make QB Matt Schaub
very happy.&#160; The Texans saw what the Cardinals were able to do with their
dangerous combination of WRs Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin.
&#160;Imagine trying to game plan for Johnson, one of the most dominate WRs in
the NFL and Heyward-Bey, a tall (6&#8217;2&#8221;) burner (4.30 in the 40) that will
force teams to have a safety over the top.&#160; The two of them would make a
scary duo for any team to cover. 

&#160;

16. San Diego Chargers
&#8211; DE Tyson Jackson, LSU
- The Chargers have had a very quiet offseason, and other than the LT&#8217;s newly
restructured deal they really have not made a splash in free agency.&#160; They
do have a very good team and there really are not too many glaring needs.&#160;
They did, however, lose DE Igor
Olshansky the 6&#8217;6&#8221; 309 lb DE that helped anchor their 3-4 defense.&#160;
Tyson Jackson is a guy that would fit perfectly into the 3-4 defense, he has
the size (6&#8217;4&#8221; 296 lbs.) and the strength to fit in right away.

&#160;

17. New York Jets &#8211; QB
Mark Sanchez, USC &#8211; This would be the
dream scenario for the Jets.&#160; Landing Sanchez with their 17th
pick is very unlikely.&#160; It is more likely that the Jets or another team
will try to trade up and get him if he falls past the 8th
pick.&#160; The Jets are a team that really needs a QB.&#160; After losing QB
Brett Favre to retirement, the Jets are left with Kellen Clemens.&#160;
They may claim that they are sticking with Clemens, but do you really think new
coach Rex Ryan wants to go into his first year with a guy that has only
started eight games and has a 1:2 TD to INT ratio?&#160; If they are lucky
enough to have Sanchez fall to 17 then it would be a no brainer to pick
him.&#160; 

&#160;

18. Denver Broncos
(From: Bears) &#8211; MLB Rey Maualuga, USC &#8211; Josh McDaniels&#160;is going to be under a lot of pressure
and scrutiny this year after trading, what some believed to be the next John Elway.&#160;&#160; He may be tempted to bolster his offense with
this pick by drafting a RB or offensive linemen, but the right pick would be to
add some more depth on defense.&#160; The
Broncos are switching to the 3-4 and having two middle linebackers that can
stop the run is very important.&#160; Maualuga
very good at stopping the run and he brings great intensity and
leadership.&#160; He would be a great addition
to the Broncos defense.

&#160;

19. Tampa Bay
Buccaneers &#8211;QB Josh Freeman, Kansas St. &#8211; The Buccaneers recently signed the best free agent QB available,
Byron Leftwich.&#160; Leftwich proved to be a valuable backup for
the Steelers but in no way should he be considered a great starting QB.&#160; The Buccaneers are most likely still looking
to land a franchise QB for the future in this draft. They are one of the teams
that will be looking to trade up when draft day comes around, but if they are
not able to get Sanchez or Stafford they will probably try to
draft Freeman.&#160; Josh Freeman is a QB that has a lot of physical talent.&#160;
He has one of the strongest arms in the draft and has a ridiculous amount of
upside.&#160; The only thing that scares teams with QBs like Freeman is that
QBs like Kyle Boller, and J.P. Losman were praised in similar
ways when they came out of college, but were never able to succeed with their
talents.&#160; If the Buccaneers can harness his talent then this pick could be
a steal.

&#160;

20. Detroit Lions
(From: Dallas) DE Robert Ayers, Tennessee &#8211; The Lions need to address the defensive side with this
pick.&#160; They finished last in points allowed, yards allowed and rushing
yards allowed.&#160; Most of their starters would be back ups for other teams,
and the only player that has job security right now is OLB Ernie Sims.&#160; They will probably try to draft the best defensive
player on their board here.&#160; Ayers&#8217; is a
guy whose stock has been soaring ever since the senior bowl.&#160; He is not a sack artist but he knows how to
get after the QB.&#160; He is very strong and
solid against the run.&#160; He would be a
solid addition to the struggling Lions.&#160; 

&#160;

21. Philadelphia
Eagles &#8211; RB Chris &#8220;Beanie&#8221; Wells, Ohio St. - The Eagles have not had a 1st round pick for the
last two years so it will be interesting to see how they use this pick.&#160;
When they have had 1st round picks in the past they usually stick
with the non-flashy picks and get defensive and offensive lineman.&#160; There defensive line is always good, and
after acquiring OT Jason Peters from
the Bills their offensive line looks to be very solid.&#160; The biggest concern has to be RB.&#160; RB Brian
Westbrook is a very good RB and receiver out of the backfield but he seems
to always be getting injured.&#160; They also lost the RB that pounded the ball
inside in Correll Buckhalter.&#160; Wells can pound the ball inside and
has shown that he has the speed (4.38 in the 40 at his pro day).&#160; Wells
may be the player that they need to get them out of their playoff slump.

&#160;

22. Minnesota Vikings
- OT Ebon Britton, Arizona &#8211;It
is no secret that the Vikings offense rests solely on the shoulders of RB Adrian Peterson and RB Chester Taylor.&#160; The two of them
have combined for over 2100 yards rushing last year.&#160; The Vikings would
probably jump at any opportunity to bolster their run game.&#160; The weakest
part of their dominate line is the right tackle position. OT Ryan Cook is not
getting the job done and they have been actively looking for a replacement.&#160;
Britton is a solid player that would fit well at right tackle, he has good
technique and awareness and could help open up some holes on the right side of
the line.&#160; The Vikings also allowed 45
sacks last year and Britton could help out with this problem as well.&#160; 

&#160;

23. New England
Patriots - OLB Brian Cushing, USC - The Patriots once again have multiple picks in the first two
rounds and not a lot of needs.&#160; But after trading away team leader OLB Mike
Vrabel, their biggest concern has to be OLB.&#160; When it comes to OLB,
the Patriots usually try to bring in older, cheaper, guys that are willing to
take less money in order to be on a winning team.&#160; If they are not able to
pick up a veteran player they will probably try to address this issue in the
draft.&#160; Cushing is a guy that fits the Patriots mold for linebacker; he is
big, strong, and versatile.&#160; Cushing
could play inside and eventually replace aging linebacker Teddy Bruschi, or help out at outside linebacker. With a younger
faster defense the Patriots should be favorites to win the super bowl this
year.

&#160;

24. Atlanta Falcons &#8211; OLB
Clay Matthews, USC - The Falcons were one
of the biggest surprises of last year: after going 4-12 in 2007, they drafted
QB Matt Ryan and brought in RB Michael Turner and built a team
around them and ended up going 11-5.&#160; The Falcons are a young team that
looks like they are going to be a very good for a long time.&#160; They lost a
lot of key guys in free agency on the defensive side of the ball so this pick
has to help solidify their defense.&#160; They lost OLB Keith Brooking, a leader and cornerstone of their defense for the
last 11 years.&#160; Matthews is one of the
three linebackers that could be first round picks from USC.&#160; Matthews brings similar intensity and
toughness as Maualuga and Cushing, and is an all around
linebacker that can do whatever is asked of him.&#160; He could be a player that could develop into
the next Brookings for the Falcons.

&#160;

25. Miami Dolphins &#8211;
DE/OLB Larry English, Northern Illinois - The Dolphins finally were able to utilize all the talent on
their team with coach Tony Sparano and VP of Football Operations Bill
Parcells running things.&#160; The Dolphins are another team where the
future looks bright and this draft will be very important for the future of
their organization.&#160; When Parcells was with the Cowboys he found a hidden
gem in DeMarcus Ware out of Troy.&#160; He will probably try to bring in
a similar type OLB that can rush the passer and play the spot opposite of OLB Jerry
Porter in the 3-4 defense.&#160; English is a guy that is much like Ware in
that he went to a small school and is not very well known.&#160; He had
tremendous production in college and really knows how to get after the
QB.&#160; English would be a good fit for the Dolphins and their 3-4 defense.&#160;


&#160;

26. Baltimore Ravens &#8211;
WR Percy Harvin, Florida &#8211;
The Ravens have lost a lot of good players because of free agency and cuts to
free up salary cap space; luckily they still have MLB Ray Lewis and S Ed
Reed anchoring their defense and 2nd year QB Joe Flacco leading
their offense.&#160; The one thing they have really been missing on the
offensive side of the ball is a playmaker.&#160; The one word used to describe
Percy Harvin is playmaker.&#160; He kills teams running or catching the ball
and is a terrific athlete, very similar to Reggie Bush.&#160; Harvin had
a great pro day and has top 10 talent.&#160; The
only reason he would fall this far is because of team needs or some character
concerns.

&#160;

27. Indianapolis Colts
&#8211; DT Peria Jerry, Ole Miss
- The Colts have always had a number of good defensive ends, but they just can
not seem to find defensive tackles that can clog up the middle and help with
run defense.&#160; Jerry is a guy that would
fit perfectly in the Colts 4-3 defense.&#160;
He is very quick off the snap and has great field awareness and knows
how to stop the run.&#160; Jerry would
certainly help the Colts lower the 123 rushing yards that they were giving up
per game. 

&#160;

28. Buffalo Bills
(From: Philadelphia) &#8211; TE Brandon Pettigrew, Oklahoma St. &#8211; The biggest need for this Bills is offensive
line help.&#160; If they address the offensive
line with their first pick (11th overall) they will probably try to
bring in a defensive lineman or a TE.&#160;
Pettigrew is the really the only TE in this draft that is being
considered as a first round pick.&#160; He is
an all around player that can help out with the Bills run and receiving game.&#160; Pettigrew would be a nice pick up for the
Bills if he fell to the 28th pick.&#160;&#160;&#160;


&#160;

29. New York Giants &#8211;
WR Hakeem Nicks, North Carolina &#8211; QB Eli Manning has really developed into a top QB in
the NFL, but he is not the same QB without WR Plaxico Burress on the
field.&#160; The 6&#8217;5&#8221; Burress gave him big target to throw it up to and saved
him on a lot on poorly-thrown balls.&#160; With Burress being cut because of
his legal issues the Giants need to bring in a tall, physical WR to help
Manning out.&#160; This is a very good wide receiving class and considering
that WRs usually fall in the draft the Giants will more than likely have a lot
of WRs to choose from.&#160; Nicks may not posses the same height as Bureess
(he is 6&#8217;1&#8221;) but he is very physical and plays like he is much taller.&#160; Nicks
is not afraid to go over the middle and he is known for making some spectacular
catches.&#160; Nicks has a ton of potential and has the ability to step in and
be the #1 WR for the Giants.&#160; 

&#160;

30. Tennessee Titians
&#8211; CB Alphonso Smith, Wake Forest &#8211; The Titans were another surprising team last year going 13-3
and dominating their competition in the first half of the year.&#160; Their
strong defense and great RB combination has teams now trying to emulate
them.&#160; The Titans should probably try to get a #1 WR, CB, MLB or DT
depending on who the best player available is at this spot.&#160; Smith is a
player that really should be drafted top 15, but because he is 5&#8217;9&#8221; he has been
labeled as &#8220;too small&#8221;.&#160; Teams should just look other great defensive
backs around the league to see that judging Smith by height alone is a mistake
(look at Asante Samuel 5&#8217;10&#8221;, Bob Sanders 5&#8217;8&#8221;, DeAngelo Hall
5&#8217;10&#8221;, Adam &#8220;Pacman&#8221; Jones 5&#8217;10&#8221;).&#160; Smith would be a steal for the
Titans and it would really help them sure up their secondary.

&#160;

31. Arizona Cardinals
&#8211; RB Knowshon Moreno, Georgia &#8211; It was very surprising to see the Cardinals, the team that
everyone assumed was the worst team in the playoffs, making it to the super bowl.&#160;
What was even more surprising was that they made it to the super bowl without a
dependable running back.&#160; They were probably one of the most dominate
offensive teams in the league last year, yet they were last in rushing yards
per game with 73.6.&#160; RBs Edgerinn James and Tim Hightower
are not the answers to their problems.&#160; Moreno is an all around back that
has very good vision and cutting ability.&#160; There is no question that
Moreno could help out their anemic rushing attack. &#160;&#160;&#160;

&#160;

32. Pittsburgh Steelers
&#8211; OG Duke Robinson, Oklahoma - The super bowl champs do not have any glaring needs and baring
any injuries they look like they could be in the mix for another super bowl
run. One problem last year was seeing QB Ben Roethlisberger, who was
sacked 46 times, on his back a lot.&#160; Adding depth to the offensive line would
help out in a big way.&#160; Robinson is a massive guard (6&#8217;5&#8221; 329 lbs) who is
versatile enough to move over to tackle.&#160; Robinson would give the Steelers
some security and would definitely compete for a starting job. &#160; 


]]></description>
					  <author>Keith McGonigle</author>
					  <pubDate>Mon, 20 Apr 2009 00:00:00 CDT</pubDate>
					  <subject />
					</item>

				

					<item>
					  <title><![CDATA[McG&#39;s Mock Draft 2009, v2.0]]></title>
					  <link>http://www.sportsgrumblings.com/football/articles/blogs/83/McGs-Mock-Draft-2009-v20.html</link>
					  <description><![CDATA[







McG's 2009 Mock Draft, v2.01. &#160;Detroit Lions
&#8211; QB Mathew Stafford,
Georgia - If the Lions want
people to show up to home games this year they will draft Stafford.&#160;
Usually the sexy pick is not the correct pick, but after going 0-16 the Lions
need a player like Stafford with the huge throwing arm and big upside to give
Lions fans some hope.&#160; The smarter pick here might be an OT like Jason
Smith, Eugene Monroe or even OLB Aaron Curry.&#160; After
Lions fans watched what rookie QBs Matt Ryan and Joe Flacco did
for their respective teams last year, it would be hard to pass Stafford up for
another position. 

&#160;

2. St. Louis Rams- OT
Jason Smith, Baylor &#8211; The Rams' most
obvious need is an offensive tackle.&#160; The only real question is which OT
should they select?&#160; Smith seems to be the best overall value.&#160; He is very athletic for his position (being a
former tight end), and he is a player that still is very raw and has a lot of
upside.&#160; The only thing that might scare them away from Smith is that he
has very similar characteristics as OT Alex Barron, who was drafted 19th
overall by the Rams in 2005.&#160;&#160; Barron has not lived up to the hype
and this might sway the Rams to go with a bigger, safer offensive tackle like Eugene Monroe or Andre Smith.

&#160;

3. Kansas City Chiefs-
OLB Aaron Curry, Wake Forrest &#8211; With former Patriots VP of player personnel Scott Pioli as the new GM for the
Chiefs, there is a very good chance that the Chiefs will try to move this pick
in order to get more picks later in the draft.&#160; If Pioli is not able to do
this he will probably pick the best overall player left: Aaron Curry. Curry can
play inside or outside linebacker and has great awareness, leadership skills,
and smarts.&#160; Combine that with all the physical tools, and the Chiefs
would have a great player to build their defense around.

&#160;

4. Seattle Seahawks &#8211;
OT Eugene Monroe, Virginia
&#8211; The two biggest needs for the Seahawks this past offseason were WR and
DT.&#160; With the big signings of WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh and DT Colin
Cole the Seahawks solved their two biggest problems.&#160; The best pick
here is to help their aging offensive line.&#160; Monroe is a very solid player
who could step in right away.&#160; Monroe can come in and take over for OT Walter
Jones if he is not healthy or play guard if need be.

&#160;

5. Cleveland Browns &#8211;
OLB Everette Brown, Florida St. &#8211; When Eric Mangini took over as head coach for the New
York Jets it was surprising to see the defensive minded coach select two
offensive linemen with his first two picks.&#160; This time around Mangini will
probably try to stick with defense.&#160; Brown is the type of athlete that
would be a perfect fit for an OLB in the 3-4 defense.&#160; He has tremendous
acceleration and speed but also has great strength and technique.&#160; He is
only 6&#8217;2&#8221; but has too much talent to pass up.

&#160;

6. Cincinnati Bengals
&#8211; WR Michael Crabtree, Texas Tech- The Bengals lost WR T.J.
Houshmandzadeh, and WR Chad &#8220;Ocho
Cinco&#8221; Johnson has openly complained about being in Cincinnati.&#160;
Crabtree is a phenomenal player and may even be the best overall talent in the
draft.&#160; The Bengals obviously have offensive line problems but the best
player available is OT Andre Smith
and there is a lot of baggage associated with him that the Bengals absolutely
can not afford.&#160; 

&#160;

7. Oakland Raiders- WR
Jeremy Maclin, Missouri
&#8211; The Raiders were last in the league in passing yards and their leading WR was
Johnnie Lee Higgins, who had 22
receptions.&#160; There is no question that the Raiders need some help at this
position.&#160; Maclin fits the Al Davis mold for a WR: fast, big,
versatile and has the ability to score every time he touches the ball.&#160; The
Franchise QB JaMarcus Russell is also in Davis&#8217; ear convincing him to bring in
some WR help. 

&#160;

8. Jacksonville
Jaguars &#8211; DT B.J. Raji, Boston College &#8211; One of the reasons the Jaguars have had such a formidable
defense over the years is because of the two huge DTs up front.&#160; With the
departure of DT Marcus Stroud last year their defensive line became much
less formidable.&#160; Adding Raji alongside DT John Henderson
would bring back the scary duo the Jaguars used to posses.&#160; Raji is a big,
powerful DT who requires double-teams and would be a perfect fit to fill the
void left by Stroud.

&#160;

9. Green Bay Packers-
DE/OLB Brian Orakpo, Texas -
The Packers are another team that has decided to switch over to the 3-4
defense.&#160; The need for good pass rushing OLBs is becoming extremely
important in the NFL, especially if you are running the 3-4 (look at DaMarcus
Ware, Shawn Merriman, Terrell Suggs, even guys trying to transition like Jason
Taylor and Julius Peppers).&#160; In order to build a great 3-4
defense the Packers need to bring in a pass rushing demon like Orakpo.&#160; He
has great size (6-3, 263), acceleration, and a nose for the ball. &#160;With
linebacker A.J. Hawk most likely moving to inside linebacker and
pro-bowler DE Aaron Kampman moving to OLB, the Packers still have a need
for an OLB and with Orakpo they would have one of the youngest and best front seven
next year.

&#160;

10. San Fransico 49ers
&#8211; OT Andre Smith, Alabama
&#8211; The 49ers are still in need of a franchise QB, but they may not be ready to
give up on Shaun Hill and former
first overall pick Alex Smith.&#160;
It is not easy to succeed as a QB, especially when your offensive line is
letting up a league leading 55 sacks and your best WR, Issac Bruce, is
36.&#160; The 49ers really need to address other problems on their team before
they draft another QB.&#160; Andre Smith has top three overall talent, but he just
needs to be kept on a leash and motivated.&#160; New coach Mike Singletary has the energy and discipline to get the best out
of Smith and he would be a great fit for the 49ers.

&#160;

11. Buffalo Bills &#8211; DE
Robert Ayers, Tennessee
&#8211; The Bills defensive ends combined for eight total sacks last year.&#160; In a division featuring QBs with quick releases like Tom Brady and Chad
Pennington, not having a dominant pass rusher means your defense is going to give up a lot of points.&#160; Ayers is probably not the best pick here or even
the best defensive end, but knowing the Bills and the fact that they are
notorious for drafting players that have been hyped up way too early (Leodis McKelvin, Donte Whitner, John McCargo,
Willis McGahee) it would not be
all that surprising if they reached for him here.

&#160;

12. Denver Broncos &#8211;
CB/S Malcolm Jenkins, Ohio St. - The Broncos biggest need is on the defensive side of the
ball (they were bottom of the league in almost every defensive category
including 30th in points allowed, giving up 28 a game).&#160; The
Broncos had an extremely active offseason.&#160;
The biggest story, of course, was that new Coach Josh McDaniels was forced to trade QB Jay Cutler after their
publicized feud.&#160; Luckily they got the
better end of the trade, getting two first round picks and QB Kyle Orton, a guy that could thrive in
McDaniels&#8217; offense.&#160; They also brought in
a lot of veteran leaders through free agency on both sides of the ball. The
only problem is their secondary is aging, and drafting Jenkins would bring some
much needed youth.&#160; Jenkins is very good in coverage and has the skills to
transition to safety.&#160; If the Broncos draft him he will be able to learn
from two of the best defensive backs in the league in CB Champ Bailey and FS Brian
Dawkins.&#160; 

&#160;

13. Washington
Redskins &#8211; DE Aaron Maybin, Penn St. - There have been rumors going around that the Redskins are
possibly looking to draft a QB, but Jason Campbell had a good year last year
and is still very young so they may just be putting on a show hoping to bait
someone into a trade.&#160; There real need is someone that can rush the
QB.&#160; They only had 24 sacks as a team last year and they released DE Jason Taylor.&#160; DT Albert Haynesworth will help, but he is
not really known as a pass rushing DT.&#160; Maybin is a guy that could come in
right away and have an impact.&#160; He is a pure pass rusher, who is very
quick off the snap.&#160; He needs to bulk up, but he could help fill the void
left by Jason Taylor. 

&#160;

14. New Orleans
Saints- CB Vontae Davis, Illinois &#8211; The Saints had a record breaking offense last year, yet they
failed to reach the playoffs.&#160; Defense wins championships and that is why
the Saints need to address the defensive side of the ball.&#160; After
releasing Mike McKenzie the Saints really need a #1 corner.&#160; They
have a bunch of guys that on their very best days are #2 corners.&#160; Davis
much like his brother on the 49ers, Vernon, is a tremendous athlete.&#160; He
has too much talent and potential to pass up.

&#160;

15. Houston Texans &#8211;
WR Darrius Heyward-Bey, Maryland - The Texans biggest needs are probably Safety and Linebacker,
the only problem is that there really is not a stand out safety in this draft
other than Malcolm Jenkins, and the Texans usually draft linebackers in
later rounds (Xavier Adibi 4th round, Demeco Ryans 2nd
round, Jason Babin 2nd round, Antwan Peek 3rd round).&#160;
Getting a WR to compliment Andre Johnson would make QB Matt Schaub
very happy.&#160; The Texans saw what the Cardinals were able to do with their
dangerous combination of WRs Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin.
&#160;Imagine trying to game plan for Johnson, one of the most dominate WRs in
the NFL and Heyward-Bey, a tall (6&#8217;2&#8221;) burner (4.30 in the 40) that will
force teams to have a safety over the top.&#160; The two of them would make a
scary duo for any team to cover. 

&#160;

16. San Diego Chargers
&#8211; DE Tyson Jackson, LSU
- The Chargers have had a very quiet offseason, and other than the LT&#8217;s newly
restructured deal they really have not made a splash in free agency.&#160; They
do have a very good team and there really are not too many glaring needs.&#160;
They did, however, lose DE Igor
Olshansky the 6&#8217;6&#8221; 309 lb DE that helped anchor their 3-4 defense.&#160;
Tyson Jackson is a guy that would fit perfectly into the 3-4 defense, he has
the size (6&#8217;4&#8221; 296 lbs.) and the strength to fit in right away.

&#160;

17. New York Jets &#8211; QB
Mark Sanchez, USC &#8211; This would be the
dream scenario for the Jets.&#160; Landing Sanchez with the 17th
pick is very unlikely.&#160; It is more likely that the Jets or another team
will try to trade up and get him if he falls past the 10th
pick.&#160; The Jets are a team that really needs a QB.&#160; After losing QB
Brett Favre to retirement, the Jets are left with Kellen Clemens.&#160;
They may claim that they are sticking with Clemens, but do you really think new
coach Rex Ryan wants to go into his first year with a guy that has only
started eight games and has a 1:2 TD to INT ratio?&#160; If they are lucky
enough to have Sanchez fall to 17 then it would be a no-brainer to pick
him.&#160; 

&#160;

18. Denver Broncos
(From: Bears) &#8211; MLB Rey Maualuga, USC &#8211; Josh McDaniels&#160;is going to be under a lot of pressure
and scrutiny this year after trading a QB some believed to be the next John Elway.&#160;&#160; He may be tempted to bolster his offense
with this pick by drafting a RB or offensive lineman, but the right pick would
be to add some more depth on defense.&#160;
The Broncos are switching to the 3-4 and having two middle linebackers
that can stop the run is very important.&#160;
Maualuga very good at stopping the run and he brings great intensity and
leadership.&#160; He would be a great addition
to the Broncos defense. 

&#160;

19. Tampa Bay
Buccaneers &#8211;QB Josh Freeman, Kansas St. - The Buccaneers obviously need a QB.&#160; Right now their
best option is QB Brian Griese, a 34 year old QB that has been a back up
for three other teams.&#160;&#160; They tried landing Cutler but that fell through.
&#160;Their best option is most likely through
the draft.&#160; The Buccaneers are one of the teams that will be looking to
trade up when draft day comes around, but if they are not able to get Sanchez or Stafford they will probably try to draft Freeman.&#160; Josh
Freeman is a QB that has a lot of talent.&#160; He has one of the strongest
arms in the draft and has a ridiculous amount of upside.&#160; The only thing
that scares teams with QBs like Freeman is that QBs like Kyle Boller,
and J.P. Losman were praised in similar ways when they came out of
college, but were never able to succeed with their talents.&#160; If the
Buccaneers can harness his talent then this pick could be a steal.

&#160;

20. Detroit Lions
(From: Dallas) OLB Brian Cushing, USC &#8211; The Lions need to address the defensive side with this
pick.&#160; They finished last in points allowed, yards allowed and rushing
yards allowed.&#160; Most of their starters would be back ups for other teams,
and the only player that has job security right now is OLB Ernie Sims.&#160; They will probably try to draft the best
defensive player on their board here, and they would be very lucky if Cushing
fell to this pick.&#160; Cushing is a very good all around linebacker; he has
all the skills and brings a lot of intensity, something the Lions desperately
need.&#160; 

&#160;

21. Philadelphia
Eagles &#8211; RB Chris &#8220;Beanie&#8221; Wells, Ohio St. - The Eagles have not had a first-round pick for the
last two years but this year they are fortunate enough to have two.&#160; When
they have had 1st round picks in the past they usually stick with
the non-flashy picks and get defensive and offensive lineman.&#160; This year,
however, they have more pressing needs.&#160; The biggest concern has to be
RB.&#160; RB Brian Westbrook is a very good RB and receiver out of the
backfield but he seems to always be getting injured.&#160; They also lost the
RB that pounded the ball inside in Correll Buckhalter.&#160; Wells can
pound the ball inside and has shown that he has the speed (4.38 in the 40 at
his pro day).&#160; Wells may be the player that they need to get them out of
their playoff slump.

&#160;

22. Minnesota Vikings
- OT Michael Oher, Ole Miss
&#8211;It is no secret that the Vikings offense rests solely on the shoulders of RB Adrian Peterson and RB Chester Taylor.&#160; The two of them
have combined for over 2100 yards rushing last year.&#160; The Vikings would
probably jump at any opportunity to bolster their run game.&#160; The weakest
part of their dominate line is the right tackle position. OT Ryan Cook is not
getting the job done and they have been actively looking for a
replacement.&#160; Oher has quick feet and long arms, perfect for pushing
defensive lineman out of the way and creating holes.&#160; The Vikings also allowed
45 sacks last year and Oher could help out with this problem as well.&#160; 

&#160;

23. New England
Patriots - OLB Clint Sintim, Virginia - The Patriots once again have multiple picks in the first two
rounds and not a lot of needs.&#160; But after trading away team leader OLB Mike
Vrabel, their biggest concern has to be OLB.&#160; When it comes to OLB,
the Patriots usually try to bring in older, cheaper, guys that are willing to
take less money in order to be on a winning team.&#160; If they are not able to
pick up a veteran player they will probably try to address this issue in the
draft.&#160; Sintim fits the Patriots mold for linebacker; he is big, strong,
versatile, and can rush the passer.&#160; With a younger faster defense the
Patriots should be favorites to win the super bowl this year.

&#160;

24. Atlanta Falcons &#8211; OLB
Clay Matthews, USC - The Falcons were one
of the biggest surprises of last year: after going 4-12 in 2007, they drafted
QB Matt Ryan and brought in RB Michael Turner and built a team
around them and ended up going 11-5.&#160; The Falcons are a young team that
looks like they are going to be a very good for a long time.&#160; They lost a
lot of key guys in free agency on the defensive side of the ball so this pick
has to help solidify their defense.&#160; They lost OLB Keith Brooking, a leader and cornerstone of their defense for the
last 11 years.&#160; Matthews is one of the
three linebackers that could be first round picks from USC.&#160; Matthews brings similar intensity and
toughness as Maualuga and Cushing, and is an all around
linebacker that can do whatever is asked of him.&#160; He could be a player that could develop into
the next Brookings for the Falcons.

&#160;

25. Miami Dolphins &#8211;
DE/OLB Larry English, Northern Illinois - The Dolphins finally were able to utilize all the talent on
their team with coach Tony Sparano and VP of Football Operations Bill
Parcells running things.&#160; The Dolphins are another team where the
future looks bright and this draft will be very important for the future of
their organization.&#160; When Parcells was with the Cowboys he found a hidden
gem in DeMarcus Ware out of Troy.&#160; He will probably try to bring in
a similar type OLB that can rush the passer and play the spot opposite of OLB Jerry
Porter in the 3-4 defense.&#160; English is a guy that is much like Ware in
that he went to a small school and is not very well known.&#160; He had
tremendous production in college and really knows how to get after the
QB.&#160; English would be a good fit for the Dolphins and their 3-4
defense.&#160; 

&#160;

26. Baltimore Ravens &#8211;
WR Percy Harvin, Florida &#8211;
The Ravens have lost a lot of good players because of free agency and cuts to
free up salary cap space; luckily they still have MLB Ray Lewis and S Ed
Reed anchoring their defense and second-year QB Joe Flacco leading
their offense.&#160; The one thing they have really been missing on the
offensive side of the ball is a playmaker.&#160; The one word used to describe
Percy Harvin is playmaker.&#160; He kills teams running or catching the ball
and is a terrific athlete, very similar to Reggie Bush.&#160; Harvin had
a great pro day and has top 10 talent.&#160; The
only reason he would fall this far is because of team needs or some character
concerns.

&#160;

27. Indianapolis Colts
&#8211; DT Ron Brace, Boston College - The Colts have always had a number of good defensive ends,
but they just can not seem to find defensive tackles that can clog up the
middle and help with run defense.&#160; Ron Brace is a 334 lbs DT that is
perfect for clogging up the middle.&#160; Brace was over shadowed by his
teammate B.J. Raji but he has first round talent and is definitely a
player that the Colts would have to consider.&#160; Brace would certainly help
the Colts lower the 123 rushing yards that they were giving up per game. 

&#160;

28. Philadelphia
Eagles &#8211; OT Ebon Britton, Arizona &#8211; The Eagles will most likely try to pick up a franchise left
tackle in this draft.&#160; Luckily there are a lot of very talented tackles in
this draft class and the Eagles have two 1st round picks so they
have a lot of possibilities.&#160; They could trade up and try to get one of
the three elite prospects (A. Smith, Monroe,
J. Smith), or sit back where they are and try to pick from a number of very
good tackles.&#160; Britton is solid all around tackle, he brings leadership
and toughness.&#160; He does not have the same skill as the elite three, but he is
a very safe pick and should be able to start right away.

&#160;

29. New York Giants &#8211;
WR Hakeem Nicks, North Carolina &#8211; QB Eli Manning has really developed into a top QB in
the NFL, but he is not the same QB without WR Plaxico Burress on the
field.&#160; The 6&#8217;5&#8221; Burress gave him big target to throw it up to and saved
him on a lot on poorly-thrown balls.&#160; With Burress being cut because of
his legal issues the Giants need to bring in a tall, physical WR to help
Manning out.&#160; This is a very good wide receiving class and considering
that WRs usually fall in the draft the Giants will more than likely have a lot
of WRs to choose from.&#160; Nicks may not posses the same height as Burress
(he is 6&#8217;1&#8221;) but he is very physical and plays like he is much taller.&#160; Nicks
is not afraid to go over the middle and he is known for making some spectacular
catches.&#160; Nicks has a ton of potential and has the ability to step in and
be the #1 WR for the Giants.&#160; 

&#160;

30. Tennessee Titians
&#8211; CB Alphonso Smith, Wake Forest &#8211; The Titans were another surprising team last year going 13-3
and dominating their competition in the first half of the year.&#160; Their
strong defense and great RB combination has teams now trying to emulate
them.&#160; The Titans should probably try to get a #1 WR, CB, MLB or DT
depending on who the best player available is at this spot.&#160; Smith is a
player that really should be drafted top 15, but because he is 5&#8217;9&#8221; he has been
labeled as &#8220;too small&#8221;.&#160; Teams should just look other great defensive
backs around the league to see that judging Smith by height alone is a mistake
(look at Asante Samuel 5&#8217;10&#8221;, Bob Sanders 5&#8217;8&#8221;, DeAngelo Hall
5&#8217;10&#8221;, Adam &#8220;Pacman&#8221; Jones 5&#8217;10&#8221;).&#160; Smith would be a steal for the
Titans and it would really help them sure up their secondary.

&#160;

31. Arizona Cardinals
&#8211; RB Knowshon Moreno, Georgia &#8211; It was very surprising to see the Cardinals, the team that
everyone assumed was the worst team in the playoffs, making it to the super
bowl.&#160; What was even more surprising was that they made it to the super
bowl without a dependable running back.&#160; They were probably one of the
most dominate offensive teams in the league last year, yet they were last in
rushing yards per game with 73.6.&#160; RBs Edgerinn James and Tim
Hightower are not the answers to their problems.&#160; Moreno is an all
around back that has very good vision and cutting ability.&#160; There is no
question that Moreno could help out their anemic rushing attack.
&#160;&#160;&#160;

&#160;

32. Pittsburgh
Steelers &#8211; OG Duke Robinson, Oklahoma - The Super Bowl champs do not have any glaring needs and barring
any injuries they look like they could be in the mix for another run. One problem last year was seeing QB Ben Roethlisberger, who was
sacked 46 times, on his back a lot.&#160; Adding depth to the offensive line would
help out in a big way.&#160; Robinson is a massive guard (6&#8217;5&#8221; 329 lbs) who is
versatile enough to move over to tackle.&#160; Robinson would give the Steelers
some security and would definitely compete for a starting job. &#160; 

&#160;

]]></description>
					  <author>Keith McGonigle</author>
					  <pubDate>Sat, 04 Apr 2009 00:00:00 CDT</pubDate>
					  <subject />
					</item>

				

					<item>
					  <title><![CDATA[McG&#39;s Mock Draft, v1.0]]></title>
					  <link>http://www.sportsgrumblings.com/football/articles/blogs/82/McGs-Mock-Draft-v10.html</link>
					  <description><![CDATA[At Sports Grumblings, we believe in diversity of opinion. To that end, we've decided that Tom Casale shouldn't hog all the mocking fun around here... so without further ado, here's the first-round projections of NFL Draft contributor Keith McGonnigle.





1. &#160;Detroit
Lions &#8211; QB Mathew Stafford, Georgia - If the Lions want people to show up to home
games this year they will draft Stafford.&#160;
Usually the sexy pick is not the correct pick, but after going 0-16 the
Lions need a player like Stafford with the huge throwing arm and big upside to
give Lions fans some hope.&#160; The smarter
pick here might be an OT like Jason
Smith, Eugene Monroe or even OLB
Aaron Curry.&#160; After Lions fans watched what rookie QBs Matt Ryan and Joe Flacco did for their respective teams last year, it would be
hard to pass Stafford up for another position. 

&#160;

2. St. Louis Rams- OT Jason Smith, Baylor &#8211; The Rams most
obvious need is an offensive tackle.&#160; The
only real question is which OT should they select?&#160; Smith seems to be the best overall value, he
is very athletic for his position, being a former tight end, and he is a player
that still is very raw and has a lot of upside.&#160;
The only thing that might scare them away from Smith is that he has very
similar characteristics as OT Alex Barron did when
he was drafted 19th overall by the Rams in 2005.&#160;&#160; Barron has not lived up to the hype and this
might sway the Rams to go with bigger, safer offensive tackles like Eugene
Monroe or Andre Smith.

&#160;

3. Kansas City Chiefs- OLB Aaron
Curry, Wake Forrest &#8211; With former Patriots VP of player personnel Scott Pioli as the
new GM for the Chiefs, there is a very good chance that the Chiefs will try to
move this pick in order to get more picks later in the draft.&#160; If Pioli is not able to do this he will
probably pick the best overall player left which is clearly Aaron Curry. Curry
can play inside or outside linebacker and has great awareness, leadership
skills, and smarts.&#160; Combine that with
all the physical tools, and the Chiefs would have a great player to build their
defense around.

&#160;

4. Seattle Seahawks &#8211; OT Eugene
Monroe, Virginia &#8211; The two biggest needs for the Seahawks this offseason were WR
and DT.&#160; With the big signings of WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh, and DT Colin Cole the Seahawks solved their two
biggest problems.&#160; The best pick here is
to help their aging offensive line.&#160;
Monroe is a very solid player who could step in right away.&#160; Monroe can come in and take over for OT
Walter Jones if he is not healthy or Monroe has the ability to also play guard
if need be.

&#160;

5. Cleveland Browns &#8211; OLB
Everette Brown, Florida St. &#8211; When Eric
Mangini took over as head coach for the New York Jets it was surprising to see
the defensive minded coach selected two offensive linemen with his first two
picks.&#160; This time around with the Mangini
will probably try to stick with defense.&#160;
Brown is the type of athlete that would be a perfect fit for an OLB in
the 3-4 defense.&#160; He has tremendous
acceleration and speed but also has great strength and technique.&#160; He is only 6&#8217;2&#8221; but has too much talent to
pass up.

&#160;

6. Cincinnati Bengals &#8211; WR
Michael Crabtree, Texas Tech- They lost WR T.J.
Houshmandzadeh, and WR Chad &#8220;Ocho Cinco&#8221; Johnson has openly complained about
being in Cincinnati.&#160; Crabtree is a
phenomenal player and may even be the best overall talent in the draft.&#160; The Bengals obviously have offensive line
problems but the best player available is OT Andre Smith and there is a lot of
baggage associated with him that the Bengals absolutely can not afford.&#160; 

&#160;

7. Oakland Raiders- WR Jeremy
Maclin, Missouri &#8211; The Raiders were last in the league in passing yards and the WR
on their team with the most receptions was Johnnie Lee Higgins with 22.&#160; There is no question that the Raiders need
some help at this position.&#160; Maclin fits
the perfect Al Davis mold for WR, he is fast, big, versatile and has the
ability to score every time he touches the ball.&#160; Franchise QB JaMarcus Russell is most likely
in Davis&#8217; ear convincing him to bring in some WR help. 

&#160;

8. Jacksonville Jaguars &#8211; DT B.J.
Raji, Boston College &#8211; One of the reasons the Jaguars have had such a formidable
defense over the years is because of the two huge DTs up front.&#160; With the departure of DT Marcus Stroud last year that defensive line became a lot less
formidable.&#160; Adding B.J. Raji along side
DT John Henderson would bring back
the scary duo the Jaguars used to posses.&#160;
Raji is a big powerful DT who is requires double teams; Raji would be a
perfect guy to fill the void of Stroud.

&#160;

9. Green Bay Packers- DE/OLB
Brian Orakpo, Texas - The Packers are another team that has decided to switch over to
the 3-4 defense.&#160; The need for a good
pass rushing OLBs is becoming extremely important now a days in the NFL
especially if you are running the 3-4 (look at DaMarcus Ware, Shawn Merriman, Terrell Suggs, even guys trying to
transition like Jason Taylor and Julius Peppers).&#160; In order to build a great 3-4 defense the
Packers need to bring in a pass rushing demon like Orakpo.&#160; He has great size (6-3, 263), acceleration
and a nose for the ball. &#160;With linebacker
A.J. Hawk most likely moving to
inside linebacker and pro-bowler DE Aaron
Kampman moving to OLB the Packers still have a need for an OLB and with
Orakpo the Packers would have one of the youngest and best front 7 next year.

&#160;

10. San Fransico 49ers &#8211; OT Andre
Smith, Alabama &#8211; The 49ers are still in need of a franchise QB, but they may not
be ready to give up on Shaun Hill and former first overall pick Alex
Smith.&#160; It is not easy to succeed as a QB
especially when your offensive line is letting up a league leading 55 sacks, and
your best WR is Issac Bruce who is 36.&#160; The
49ers really need to address other problems on their team before they draft
another QB.&#160; Andre Smith has top 3
overall talents he just needs to be kept on a leash and motivated.&#160; New coach Mike Singletary has the energy and
discipline to get the best out of Andre Smith and he would be a great fit for
the 49ers.

&#160;

11. Buffalo Bills &#8211; DE Robert
Ayers, Tennessee &#8211; The Bills defensive ends combined for 8 total sacks last
year.&#160; In a league with QB&#8217;s with quick
releases like Tom Brady and Chad Pennington not having a dominate
pass rusher means your defense is going to let up a lot of points.&#160; Ayers probably is not the best pick here or
even the best defensive end but knowing the Bills and the fact that they are
notorious for drafting players that have been hyped up way to early (Leodis
McKelvin, Donte Whitner, John McCargo, Willis McGahee&#8230;) it would really not be
that surprising if they reached for him here.

&#160;

12. Denver Broncos &#8211; CB/S Malcolm
Jenkins, Ohio St.- The Broncos biggest need is on the defensive side of the ball
they were bottom of the league in almost every defensive category including 30th
in points allowed giving up 28 a game.&#160;
The Broncos had an extremely active offseason, new Coach Josh McDaniels
has brought in a lot of veteran leaders through free agency on both sides of
the ball. The only problem is their secondary is aging drafting Jenkins would
bring some much needed youth.&#160; Jenkins is
a very good in coverage and has the skills to transition to safety.&#160; If the broncos draft him he will be able to
learn from two of the best defensive backs in the league in CB Champ Bailey and
FS Brian Dawkins.&#160; 

&#160;

13. Washington Redskins &#8211; DE
Aaron Maybin, Penn St. - There have been rumors going around that the Redskins are
possibly looking to draft a QB, but Jason Campbell had a good year last year
and is still very young so they may just be putting on a show hoping to bait
someone into a trade.&#160; There real need is
someone that can rush the QB.&#160; They only
had 24 sacks as a team last year and they released DE Jason Taylor.&#160; DT Albert Haynesworth will help, but he is
not really known as a pass rushing DT.&#160; Maybin
is a guy that could come in right away and have an impact.&#160; He is a pure pass rusher, who is very quick
off the snap.&#160; He needs to bulk up, but
he could help fill the void left by Jason Taylor. 

&#160;

14. New Orleans Saints- CB Vontae
Davis, Illinois &#8211; The Saints had a record breaking offense last year, yet they
failed to reach the playoffs.&#160; Defense
wins championships and that is why the Saints need to address the defensive
side of the ball.&#160; After releasing Mike McKenzie the Saints really need a
#1 corner.&#160; They have a bunch of guys
that on their very best days are #2 corners.&#160;
Davis much like his brother on the 49ers, Vernon, is a tremendous
athlete.&#160; He has too much talent and
potential to pass up.

&#160;

15. Houston Texans &#8211; WR Darrius
Heyward-Bey, Maryland - The Texans biggest needs are probably Safety and Linebacker,
the only problem is that there really is not a stand out safety in this draft
other than Malcolm Jenkins, and the
Texans usually draft linebackers in later rounds (Xavier Adibi 4th round, Demeco Ryans 2nd round, Jason Babin 2nd round, Antwan Peek 3rd).&#160;
Getting a WR to compliment Andre
Johnson would make QB Matt Schaub
very happy.&#160; The Texans saw what the
Cardinals were able to do with WRs Larry
Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin. &#160;Imagine trying to game plan for Johnson, one
of the most dominate WRs in the NFL and Heyward-Bey,
a tall (6&#8217;2&#8221;) burner (4.30 in the 40) that will force teams to have a safety
over the top.&#160; The two of them would make
a scary duo for any team to cover. 

&#160;

16. San Diego Chargers &#8211; DE Tyson
Jackson, LSU - The Chargers have had a very quiet offseason other than the
LT&#8217;s newly restructured deal they really have not made a splash in free
agency.&#160; They do have a very good team and
there really are not too many glaring needs.&#160;
They did, however, lose DE Igor Olshansky the 6&#8217;6&#8221; 309 lb DE that helped
anchor their 3-4 defense.&#160; Tyson Jackson
is a guy that would fit perfectly into the 3-4 defense, he has the size (6&#8217;4&#8221;
296 lbs.) and the strength to fit in right away.

&#160;

17. New York Jets &#8211; QB Mark
Sanchez, USC &#8211; This would be the dream scenario for the Jets.&#160; Landing Sanchez with their 17th
pick is very unlikely.&#160; It is more likely
that the Jets or another team will try to trade up and get him if he falls past
the 10th pick.&#160; The Jets are a
team that really needs a QB.&#160; After
losing QB Brett Favre to retirement, the Jets are left with Kellen Clemens.&#160; They may claim that they are sticking with
Clemens, but do you really think new coach Rex
Ryan wants to go into his first year with a guy that has only started eight
games and has a 1:2 Td to Int ratio?&#160; If
they are lucky enough to have Sanchez fall to 17 then it would be a no brainer
to pick him.&#160; 

&#160;

18. Chicago Bears &#8211; WR Hakeem
Nicks, North Carolina - The last time the Bears had a WR with more than 75 receptions
was all the way back in 2002 with Marty
Booker.&#160; WR Devin Hester has emerged as a prominent deep threat, but they are
still missing the type of WR that can go over the middle and make the tough
catches.&#160; Nicks is a very physical WR
that can make the plays over the middle.&#160;
Bringing in a #1 WR could completely change the Bears offense.&#160; Having a good receiving core could keep
defenses honest and improve their already solid running game. &#160;

&#160;

19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers &#8211;QB Josh
Freeman, Kansas St. - The Buccaneers obviously need a QB.&#160; Right now their best option is QB Brian Griese, a 34 year old QB that has
been a back up for three other teams.&#160;&#160;
They tried landing Cutler and are probably still pursing him, but their
best option is through the draft.&#160; The
Buccaneers are one of the teams that will be looking to trade up when draft day
comes around, but if they are not able to get Sanchez or Stafford they will
probably turn their attention try to draft Freeman.&#160; Josh Freeman is a QB that has a lot of
talent.&#160; He has one of the strongest arms
in the draft and has a ridiculous amount of upside.&#160; The only thing that scares teams with QBs
like Freeman is that QBs like Kyle
Boller, and J.P. Losman who were
praised in similar ways when they came out of college, but were never able to
succeed with their talents.&#160; If the
Buccaneers can harness his talent then this pick could be a steal.

&#160;

20. Detroit Lions (From: Dallas)
OLB Brian Cushing, USC &#8211; The Lions need to address the defensive
side with this pick.&#160; They finished last
in points allowed, yards allowed and rushing yards allowed.&#160; Most of their starters would be back ups for
other teams, and the only player that job is actually secure is OLB Ernie Sims.&#160; They will probably try to draft the best
defensive player on their board here, and they would be very lucky if Cushing
fell to this pick.&#160; Cushing is a very
good all around linebacker; he has all the skills and brings a lot of
intensity, something the Lions desperately need.&#160; 

&#160;

21. Philadelphia Eagles &#8211; RB
Chris &#8220;Beanie&#8221; Wells, Ohio St. - The Eagles have not had a 1st
round pick for the last two years but this year they are fortunate enough to
have 2.&#160; When they have had 1st
round picks in the past they usually stick with the non-flashy picks and get
defensive and offensive lineman.&#160; This
year, however, they have more pressing needs.&#160;
The biggest concern has to be RB.&#160;
RB Brian Westbrook is a very
good RB and receiver out of the backfield but he seems to always be getting
injured.&#160; They also lost the RB that
pounded the ball inside in Correll
Buckhalter.&#160; Wells can pound the ball
inside and has shown that he has the speed (4.38 in the 40 at his pro day).&#160; Wells may be the player that they need to get
them out of their playoff slump.

&#160;

22. Minnesota Vikings - OT
Michael Oher, Ole Miss &#8211;It is no secret that the Vikings offense
rests solely on the shoulders of RB Adrian Peterson and RB Chester Taylor.&#160; The two of them have combined for over 2100 yards
rushing last year.&#160; The Vikings would
probably jump at any opportunity to bolster their run game.&#160; The weakest part of their dominate line is
the right tackle position. OT Ryan Cook is not getting the job done and they
have been actively looking for a replacement.&#160;
Oher has quick feet and long arms, perfect for pushing defensive lineman
out of the way and creating holes.&#160; The
Vikings allowed 45 sacks last year and this Oher could help out with this as
well.&#160; 

&#160;

23. New England Patriots - OLB Clint
Sintim, Virginia - The Patriots once again have multiple picks in the first two
rounds and not a lot of needs.&#160; But after
trading away team leader OLB Mike Vrabel,
their biggest concerns has to be OLB.&#160;
When it comes to OLB, the Patriots usually try to bring in older,
cheaper, guys that are willing to take less money in order to be on a winning
team.&#160; If they are not able to pick up a
veteran player they will probably try to address this issue in the draft.&#160; Sintim fits the Patriots mold for linebacker;
he is big, strong, can rush the passer and is very versatile.&#160; With a younger faster defense the Patriots
should be the super bowl favorites this year.

&#160;

24. Atlanta Falcons &#8211; MLB Rey
Maualuga, USC - The Falcons were one of the biggest surprises of last year,
after going 4-12 in 2007, they drafted QB Matt
Ryan and brought in RB Michael
Turner and built a team around them and ended up going 11-5.&#160; The Falcons are a young team that looks like
they are going to be a very good for a long time.&#160; They lost a lot of key guys in free agency on
the defensive side of the ball so this pick has to help solidify their
defense.&#160; They lost OLB Keith Brooking, a
leader and cornerstone of their defense for the last 11 years.&#160; Brookings is going to be a really tough
player to replace.&#160; Maualuga is one of
the best linebackers is the draft and the Falcons would be happy to see him
fall this far.&#160; He brings ridiculous
amount of intensity and passion to the field and would help with the loss of
Brookings.

&#160;

25. Miami Dolphins &#8211; DE/OLB Larry
English, Northern Illinois - The Dolphins finally were able to utilize
all the talent on their team with coach Tony
Sparano and VP of Football Operations Bill
Parcells running things.&#160; The
Dolphins are another team where the future looks bright and this draft will be
very important for the future of their organization.&#160; When Parcells was with the Cowboys he found a
hidden gem in DeMarcus Ware out of
Troy.&#160; He will probably try to bring in a
similar type OLB that can rush the passer and play the spot opposite of OLB Jerry Porter in the 3-4 defense.&#160; English is a guy that is much like Ware in
that he went to a small school and is not very well known.&#160; He had tremendous production in college and
really knows how to get after the QB.&#160;
English would be a good fit for the Dolphins and their 3-4 defense.&#160; 

&#160;

26. Baltimore Ravens &#8211; WR Percy
Harvin, Florida &#8211; The Ravens have lost a lot of good players because of free agency
and cuts to free up salary cap space; luckily they still have MLB Ray Lewis and S Ed Reed anchoring their defense and 2nd year QB Joe
Flacco leading their offense.&#160; The one
thing they have really been missing on the offensive side of the ball is a playmaker.&#160; The one word used to describe Percy Harvin is
playmaker.&#160; He kills teams running or
catching the ball and is terrific athlete very similar to Reggie Bush.&#160; Harvin had a
great pro day and has top 10 talent, the only reason he would fall this far is
because of team needs or some character concerns.

&#160;

27. Indianapolis Colts &#8211; DT Ron
Brace - The Colts have always had a number of good defensive ends, but
they just can not seem to find defensive tackles that can clog up the middle
and help with run defense.&#160; Ron Brace is
a 334 lbs DT that is perfect for clogging up the middle.&#160; Brace was over shadowed by his teammate B.J. Raji but he has first round talent
and is definitely a player that the Colts would have to consider.&#160; Brace would certainly help the Colts lower
the 123 rushing yards that they were giving up per game. 

&#160;

28. Philadelphia Eagles &#8211; OT Ebon
Britton, Arizona &#8211; The Eagles will most likely try to pick up a franchise left
tackle in this draft.&#160; Luckily there are
a lot of very talented tackles in this draft class and the Eagles have two 1st
round picks so they have a lot of possibilities.&#160; They could trade up and try to get one of the
3 elite prospects (A. Smith, Monroe, J. Smith), or sit back where they are and
try to pick from a number of very good tackles.&#160;
Britton is solid all around tackle, he brings leadership and
toughness.&#160; He does not have the same
skill as the elite 3, but he is a very safe pick and should be able to start
right away.

&#160;

29. New York Giants &#8211; WR Kenny
Britt, Rutgers &#8211; QB Eli Manning has
really developed into a top QB in the NFL, but he is not the same QB without WR
Plaxico Burress on the field.&#160; The 6&#8217;5&#8221; Burress gave him big target to throw
it up to and saved him on a lot on poorly-thrown balls.&#160; With Burress involved in a lot of legal
trouble the Giants need to bring in a tall, physical WR to help Manning
out.&#160; This is a very good wide receiving
class and considering that WRs usually fall in the draft New York will more
than likely have a lot of WRs to choose from.&#160;
Kenny Britt is a player that plays a lot like Burress.&#160; He is 6&#8217;3&#8221;, physical and finds ways to get
open.&#160; Britt has a ton of potential and
has the ability to step in and be the #1 WR for the Giants.&#160; 

&#160;

30. Tennessee Titians &#8211; CB
Alphonso Smith, Wake Forest &#8211; The Titans were another surprising team
last year going 13-3 and dominating its competition especially in the first
half of the year.&#160; Their strong defense and
great RB combination has teams now trying to emulate them.&#160; The Titans should probably try to get a #1
WR, CB, MLB or DT depending on who the best player available is.&#160; Smith is a player that really should be
drafted top 15 but the 5&#8217;9&#8221; has been labeled as &#8220;too small&#8221;.&#160; Teams should just look other great defensive
backs around the league to see that judging Smith by height alone is a mistake
(look at Asante Samuel 5&#8217;10&#8221;, Bob Sanders 5&#8217;8&#8221;, DeAngelo Hall 5&#8217;10&#8221;, Adam
&#8220;Pacman&#8221; Jones 5&#8217;10&#8221;).&#160; Smith would
be a steal for the Titans and it would really help them sure up their secondary.

&#160;

31. Arizona Cardinals &#8211; RB
Knowshon Moreno, Georgia &#8211; It was very surprising to see the
Cardinals, the team that everyone assumed was the worst team in the playoffs,
making it to the super bowl.&#160; What was
even more surprising was that they made it to the super bowl without a
dependable running back.&#160; They were
probably one of the most dominate offensive teams in the league last year, yet
they were last in rushing yards a game with 73.6.&#160; RBs Edgerinn
James and Tim Hightower are not
the answers to their problems.&#160; Moreno is
an all around back that has very good vision and cutting ability.&#160; There is no question that Moreno could help
out their anemic rushing attack. &#160;&#160;&#160;

&#160;

32. Pittsburgh Steelers &#8211; OG Duke
Robinson, Oklahoma - The super bowl champs do not have any glaring needs and baring
and injuries look like they could be in the mix for another super bowl run. One
problem last year was seeing QB Ben
Roethlisberger, who was sacked 46 times, on his back a lot.&#160; Adding depth would help out in a big way.&#160; Robinson is a massive guard (6&#8217;5&#8221; 329 lbs)
with a lot of talent who is versatile enough to move over to tackle.&#160; Robinson would give the Steelers some
security and would definitely compete for a starting job. &#160; 

Our mock draft is listed in the FFToolbox 2009 NFL Mock Draft Database!]]></description>
					  <author>Keith McGonigle</author>
					  <pubDate>Thu, 02 Apr 2009 00:00:00 CDT</pubDate>
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					<item>
					  <title><![CDATA[The Inside Slant - Casale&#39;s Mock Draft: Version II]]></title>
					  <link>http://www.sportsgrumblings.com/football/articles/blogs/81/The-Inside-Slant---Casales-Mock-Draft-Version-II.html</link>
					  <description><![CDATA[Now that the Combine and the start of free agency have passed, it's time to unveil my second mock draft of the year. And remember, the Cowboys don't have a first round pick because Jerry Jones is an idiot. 1. Lions - Matthew Stafford, QB Georgia - If the Lions hold on to this pick I think they have to take a quarterback. Stafford has the strongest arm I've seen since David&#160;Klingler and he would be a major upgrade over anything the Lions currently have at quarterback. However, Stafford needs to work on staring down receivers or his NFL career will be a short one.2. Rams -&#160;Eugene Monroe, OT Virginia&#160;- The Rams line was atrocious in 2008, so they will likely look to upgrade it with this pick. Monroe is the main beneficiary of Andre Smith's freefall down the draft board.3. Chiefs - Aaron Curry,&#160;OLB Wake Forest - Curry is&#160;shooting up draft boards and he would make a great addition to a young KC defense. He is a monster off the edge and a physical marvel. This is a little too high for him in my opinion but it's not a huge reach.4.&#160;Seahawks - Michael Crabtree,&#160;WR Texas Tech - Seattle badly needs a&#160;gamebreaker at receiver and&#160;Crabtree possesses all the physical tools to be a future star. No one goes up and gets the football like Crabtree. Just ask Texas.5. Browns - Brian Orakpo, DE/OLB Texas - The Browns pass rush was miserable last year and&#160;Orakpo is my top rated defensive player. He will instantly give new coach Eric&#160;Mangini a dangerous edge rusher to plug into his 3-4 defense. I think Orakpo will be an instant star in the NFL.6. Bengals -&#160;Jason Smith, OT Baylor&#160;- The Bengals have a lot of needs like always but if they want to keep Carson Palmer upright, they will invest in the offensive line. Taylor has been shooting up draft boards since the Combine so there is a chance he may not even be on the board this late.7. Raiders -&#160;Everette Brown, DE/OLB Florida State&#160; - The Raiders need someone who can get to the quarterback and Brown certainly fills that role. The more tape I watch on Brown, the more I like him. This would be a great pick for the Raiders, which means they probably won't make it.8. Jaguars - Michael Oher, OT Ole Miss - The Jags really need to upgrade their offensive line and Oher is a beast. I think this would be an excellent pick for Jacksonville. Andre Smith could also be a possibility here but I have Oher moving up the draft board, while Smith is plummeting.9. Packers -&#160;Tyson Jackson, DE LSU&#160;- This is one of the easiest spots to predict. The Packers will take the best pass rusher available. Jackson is a&#160;blur off the edge and will help improve Green Bay's meager pass rush.10.&#160;49ers - Mark Sanchez, QB USC - In my opinion, San Fran is a quarterback away from being a pretty good team. If Sanchez is still on the board here, it will be awfully hard for the 49ers to pass on him. However, I wouldn't touch Sanchez with a 10-foot pole.11. Bills -&#160;Aaron Maybin, DE Penn State&#160;- I think this is way too high for Maybin but I try to&#160;predict selections I think the team will make, not who I would take. Maybin is a good pass rusher but I think he still needs to get bigger and stronger. Risky pick this high.12. Broncos - B.J. Raji,&#160;DT Boston College - With the Broncos switching to&#160;the 3-4 defense, they need an anchor in the middle. When talking to NFL people, the hardest thing to find in a 3-4 is a dominant NT.&#160;Raji is a monster on the inside and should start for the Broncos from Day 1. Denver would be lucky if Raji is still on the board at this point.13. Redskins -&#160;Andre Smith, OT Alabama&#160;- My how the mighty have fallen. Smith was once projected to be the first pick in the draft but after showing up to the Combine fat and uninterested, he'll be lucky to get drafted this high. The Redskins need an OT and they are a team that's known to take risks, so I'll plug him in here. But fat, drunk and stupid is no way to go through life son.14. Saints -&#160;Malcolm Jenkins, CB Ohio State - New year, same story for the Saints. They need help at corner and selecting Jenkins may finally give them the&#160;ballhawking&#160;playmaker they have&#160;been looking for at that position.15. Texans -&#160;Jeremy Maclin, WR Missouri - The Texans badly need another weapon to go along with Andre Johnson in their passing game. Maclin would give Houston a deep threat&#160;to help draw double teams away from Johnson, who may be the best receiver in all of football right now.16. Chargers - Rey Maualuga, LB USC - This would be a steal here for the Chargers. I have Maualuga rated as a Top 5 talent. He's big, fast and plays with a mean streak that Dick&#160;Butkus would be proud of. The Chargers could use some help in the middle of their 3-4 defense and&#160;Maualuga would provide that help. 17. Jets -&#160;Percy Harvin, WR Florida&#160;- Harvin is one of the most explosive players in this draft. The only question mark he has is durability issues but on the field Harvin is a game changer. I think getting him in this spot would be a steal for the Jets.18. Bears - Darius Heyward-Bey,&#160;WR Maryland - Stop me if you've heard this before: The Bears need a receiver. I really like Heyward-Bey and he would finally give Chicago the vertical threat they've been lacking. If there was a faster player in&#160;CFB last year I didn't see him. And don't look at Heyward-Bey's college stats. He never played with a good quarterback at Maryland.19.&#160;Bucs -&#160;Brian Cushing, LB USC&#160;- The Bucs need to get younger at the linebacker position and Cushing would be a perfect fit for their defensive scheme. Cushing has the versatility to play inside or outside and would help Tampa Bay replace the departed Derrick Brooks.20. Lions - Peria Jerry,&#160;DT Ole Miss - Because the Cowboys like to give up first-round draft picks for useless receivers, the Lions pick for the second time in Round 1. Jerry would be a huge upgrade&#160;in the middle of Detroit's line. He's a very good player that could turn into a future Pro Bowler.21. Eagles - Brandon Pettigrew, TE Oklahoma State&#160;- This guy is an absolute beast. His numbers weren't eye-popping in college but that's because Oklahoma State was a run-first team. Pettigrew has all the physical tools to be a star TE in the NFL. And since Philly won't acquire any receivers, perhaps they will draft a tight end.22. Vikings -&#160;Vontae Davis, CB Illinois&#160;- Davis was one of the best players I watched in college last year. This guy was all over the field making plays. The Vikings could always use more offensive firepower but Davis would help improve a mediocre Minnesota secondary.23. Patriots - Clay Matthews, LB USC - New England came away with one of the best linebackers in the NFL last year when they selected&#160;Jerod Mayo. By adding an outside edge rusher like Matthews, New England would be set with two young studs at linebacker. Matthews is&#160;tough, mean and versatile. This would be yet another steal for the Patriots in Round 1.24. Falcons - Larry English, DE Northern Illinois - Just like I predicted, Jamaal Anderson is a huge bust. There is some talk that the Falcons may even cut the former No. 8 overall pick. Atlanta needs someone to rush the passer and English fits the bill. English was named the&#160;MAC's Most Valuable Player in 2007 and 2008. He&#160;compiled 57.0 tackles for a loss and 32.5 sacks during his college career.25. Dolphins - Alphonso Thorpe, CB Wake Forest - Thorpe is one of my favorite players in this draft. He's always around the football making plays. He is really good at jumping a route and has textbook technique for a corner.&#160;The Dolphins need to get stronger in the secondary and Thorpe would be a great pick for them late in Round 1.26. Ravens -&#160;Knowshon Moreno, RB Georgia - This would be a steal for the Ravens here and since they are one of the&#160;NFL's best drafting teams, I can see them making the pick. Willis&#160;McGahee stinks and the Ravens lack a home run hitter in the backfield. Moreno will solve that problem. 27. Colts - D.J. Moore, CB Vanderbilt - The Colts can always use help on the defensive side of the ball but I like Moore here for another reason. The Colts return game is terrible and Moore would be an instant weapon as a kick and punt returner. 28. Eagles - Chris &#34;Beanie&#34; Wells, RB Ohio State- I am not a big fan of Wells. I actually think he's going to be a bust in the NFL. In my opinion, Pitt's LeSean &#34;Shady&#34; McCoy is the best back in the draft but the Eagles are said to be intrigued with Wells, so I will go with him over McCoy here. 29. Giants -&#160;Hakeem Nicks&#160;- I love this guy. He's big and fast with huge hands that pluck the ball out of the air. This pick could depend on whether or not the Giants trade for Braylon Edwards but any team that drafts Nicks is going to get one helluva receiver. 30. Titans - Robert Ayers, DE Tennessee - The Titans love to stockpile defensive linemen and Ayers would make a nice value pick this late in the draft. Ayers is quick enough to play end but also big enough to line up inside on passing downs, something Jeff Fisher likes out of his linemen. 31. Cardinals -&#160;LeSean McCoy, RB Pitt&#160;- This would be the best pick in the draft if the Cardinals landed McCoy here. Arizona needs an every-down back they can depend on and I think McCoy is a future superstar. He's tough, shifty and racked up big yardage in college despite never playing with a good quarterback. McCoy would make an already dangerous Cardinals offense even more explosive. 32. Steelers - Max Unger,&#160;OL Oregon - The Steelers love stockpiling offensive linemen and to be honest, that's the weakest area of their team right now.&#160;Unger is a versatile guy who can play both guard and tackle. Plus, he has the nasty demeanor the Steelers like. Note: My cousin Sal and I have a weekly football show&#160;that airs&#160;on Tuesdays at 7:00 PM ET. The show is great. You&#160;can listen to&#160;it live by clicking here&#160;or&#160;archived at www.RadioGrumblings.com.&#160;We will have a ton of draft talk over the next couple of weeks. You&#160;are able to call in and argue, so be sure to tune in.&#160;You can also follow The Tout and Fat Sal on Twitter is you have no life at all, or e-mail us at toutandsal@aol.com]]></description>
					  <author>Thomas Casale</author>
					  <pubDate>Thu, 26 Mar 2009 00:00:00 CDT</pubDate>
					  <subject />
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					<item>
					  <title><![CDATA[The Inside Slant: NFL Draft 2009]]></title>
					  <link>http://www.sportsgrumblings.com/football/articles/blogs/80/The-Inside-Slant-NFL-Draft-2009.html</link>
					  <description><![CDATA[&#160;Here is my first mock draft of the year. I will probably have three more leading up to the draft.1. Lions - Matthew Stafford, QB Georgia - If the Lions hold on to this pick I think they have to take a quarterback. Stafford has the strongest arm I've seen since David&#160;Klingler and he would be a major upgrade over anything the Lions currently have at quarterback. However, Stafford needs to work on staring down receivers or his NFL career will be a short one.2. Rams - Andre Smith, OT Alabama - Smith is my highest rated player in this draft. He will be the next great NFL tackle and a fixture in the Pro Bowl. The Rams line was atrocious in 2008, so Smith will start from the day he signs.3. Chiefs - Aaron Curry,&#160;OLB Wake Forest - Curry is&#160;shooting up draft boards and he would make a great addition to a young KC defense. He is a monster off the edge and a physical marvel. This is a little too high for him in my opinion but it's not a huge reach.4.&#160;Seahawks - Michael Crabtree,&#160;WR Texas Tech - Seattle badly needs a&#160;gamebreaker at receiver and&#160;Crabtree possesses all the physical tools to be a future star. No one goes up and gets the football like Crabtree. Just ask Texas.5. Browns - Brian Orakpo, DE/OLB Texas - The Browns pass rush was miserable last year and&#160;Orakpo is my top rated defensive player. He will instantly give new coach Eric&#160;Mangini a dangerous edge rusher to plug into his 3-4 defense. Although, why Mangini got another coaching job is a mystery to me.6. Bengals - Eugene Monroe, OT Virginia - The Bengals have a lot of needs like always but if they want to keep Carson Palmer upright, they will invest in the offensive line. By the way, is Marvin Lewis still the coach of this team? If so, why?7. Raiders - Jeremy Maclin,&#160;WR Missouri - This would be a terrible pick. No. 7 is way too high for&#160;Maclin in my opinion. If I were the Raiders GM, I would address the porous offensive line. But since Al Davis is the GM, you get another huge reach in the first round.8. Jaguars - Michael Oher, OT Ole Miss - The Jags really need to upgrade their offensive line and Oher is a beast. I think this would be an excellent pick for Jacksonville. Is Jack Del Rio still the coach of this team? If so, why?9. Packers - Everette Brown, DE/OLB Florida State - This is one of the easiest spots to predict. The Packers will take the best pass rusher available and in my mock, that guy is Brown.10.&#160;49ers - Mark Sanchez, QB USC - In my opinion, San Fran is a quarterback away from being a pretty good team. If Sanchez is still on the board here, it will be awfully hard for the 49ers to pass on him. However, I wouldn't touch Sanchez with a 10-foot pole.11. Bills - Brandon Pettiigrew, TE Oklahoma State - I normally don't like taking tight ends this high but&#160;Pettigrew is a special talent. He will give young quarterback Trent Edwards a go-to receiver, something the Bills sorely need.12. Broncos - B.J. Raji,&#160;DT Boston College - With the Broncos switching to&#160;the 3-4 defense, they need an anchor in the middle. When talking to NFL people, the hardest thing to find in a 3-4 is a dominant NT.&#160;Raji is a monster on the inside and should start for the Broncos from Day 1.13. Redskins - Jason Smith, OT Baylor - As you can tell from my mock draft, OT is the top position available this year. The Redskins had all kinds of problems along their offensive line last year and Taylor would give them a young stud to groom.14. Saints -&#160;Malcom Jenkins, CB Ohio State - New year, same story for the Saints. They need help at corner and selecting Jenkins may finally give them the&#160;ballhawking&#160;playmaker they have&#160;been looking for at that position.15. Texans -&#160;Vontae Davis, CB Illinois - Any time you have Jacques Reeves starting at corner, you need a major upgrade. Teams passed all over the Texans last year. Davis was one of the best college football players I watched last year and he would make a great fit in Houston.16. Chargers - Rey Maualuga, LB USC - This would be a steal here for the Chargers. I have Maualuga rated as a Top 5 talent. He's big, fast and plays with a mean streak that Dick&#160;Butkus would be proud of. The Chargers could use some help in the middle of their 3-4 defense and&#160;Maualuga would provide that help. Is&#160;Norv Turner still the coach of this team? If so, why?17. Jets - James Laurinaitis, LB Ohio State - The Jets have a lot of weaknesses in my opinion so I'm plugging in a guy I think represents good value at 17. David Harris is solid but after him, the Jets have no one at ILB.&#160;Laurinaitis can come in and&#160;play right away for new coach Rex Ryan.18. Bears - Darius Heyward-Bey,&#160;WR Maryland - Stop me if you've heard this before: The Bears need a receiver. I really like Heyward-Bey and he would finally give Chicago the vertical threat they've been lacking. If there was a faster player in&#160;CFB last year I didn't see him. And don't look at Heyward-Bey's college stats. He never played with a good quarterback at Maryland.19.&#160;Bucs - Percy Harvin,&#160;WR Florida - New&#160;Bucs Head Coach&#160;Raheem Morris has vowed to open up&#160;Tampa's offense. To do that, he will need some weapons.&#160;Harvin is the ultimate boom or bust player. There are very few players who have&#160;Harvin's game-breaking physical skills but he gets hurt every other week. He would scare the hell out of me.20. Lions - Peria Jerry,&#160;DT Ole Miss - Because the Cowboys like to give up first-round draft picks for useless receivers, the Lions pick for the second time in Round 1. Jerry would be a huge upgrade&#160;in the middle of Detroit's line. He's a very good player that could turn into a future Pro Bowler.21. Eagles - Beanie Wells, RB Ohio State - I hate this pick but I could see the Eagles making it. I am not a huge fan of Wells. I prefer&#160;Knowshon Moreno and&#160;LeSean McCoy to him. I do believe the Eagles could look at a RB here but if it's Wells, that would be a mistake in my opinion. 22. Vikings - Josh Freeman, QB Kansas State - I'm going with Freeman here just so I can talk about how much he sucks. I don't get what people see in this guy. Every time I watch him play he's like 13-for-32 and the announcers are telling me how the NFL scouts are drooling over him because of his strong arm. The guy sucks. I have seen Freeman play 7-8 times and I wouldn't take him in the fifth round. I am stunned that people are talking about this guy as a first-round draft pick. I keep hearing that &#34;Freeman has the most upside of any quarterback in the draft.&#34; Of course he does. When you suck as much as Freeman does, I guess you have upside. 23. Patriots - Clay Matthews, LB USC - A lot of people have Brian&#160;Cushing going here but I think Matthews is a better fit for the Patriots. New England came away with one of the best linebackers in the NFL last year when they selected&#160;Jerod Mayo. By adding an outside edge rusher like Matthews, New England would be set with two young studs at linebacker. For me, Matthews is more of a Bill Belichick-type player than Cushing. He's tough, mean and versatile. This would be yet another steal for the Patriots in Round 1.24. Falcons - Larry English, DE Northern Illinois - Just like I predicted, Jamaal Anderson is a huge bust. There is some talk that the Falcons may even cut the former No. 8 overall pick. Atlanta needs someone to rush the passer and English fits the bill. English was named the&#160;MAC's Most Valuable Player in 2007 and 2008. He&#160;compiled 57.0 tackles for a loss and 32.5 sacks during his college career.25. Dolphins - Brian Cushing, LB USC - I'm not quite as high on Cushing as some other people. I like&#160;Maualuga and Matthews much more. Still,&#160;Cushing has good intangibles and&#160;can play both inside and outside linebacker. The Dolphins need help at linebacker, so this would be a logical pick for them.26. Ravens -&#160;Knowshon Moreno, RB Georgia - This would be a steal for the Ravens here and since they are one of the&#160;NFL's best drafting teams, I can see them making the pick. Willis&#160;McGahee stinks and the Ravens lack a home run hitter in the backfield. Moreno will solve that problem. 27. Colts - D.J. Moore, CB Vanderbilt - The Colts can always use help on the defensive side of the ball but I like Moore here for another reason. The Colts return game is terrible and Moore would be an instant weapon as a kick and punt returner. 28. Eagles - Alphonso Thorpe, CB Wake Forest - Thorpe is one of my favorite players in this draft. He's always around the football making plays. He is really good at jumping a route, something the Eagles like their corners to do.&#160;Lito Sheppard was demoted to the fourth corner last year, so an upgrade in that area is needed. Thorpe would be a great pick for the Eagles late in Round 1.29. Giants - Clint Sintim,&#160;OLB Virginia - Anyone who watched the Giants play last year knows how badly they need some new blood at the linebacker position. Danny Clark can't play and needs to be replaced at once.&#160;Sintim is a great pass rusher who also plays the run well. He would be a welcome addition to the Giants defense. 30. Titans - Hakeem Nicks,&#160;WR North Carolina - I love this guy. He's big and fast with huge hands that pluck the ball out of the air. We all the saw in the playoffs that the Titans need more&#160;playmakers on offense. Nicks would finally give Tennessee the go-to receiver they lack.31. Cardinals - Tyson Jackson, DE&#160;LSU - The Cardinals had a heck of time putting pressure on the quarterback last year when they didn't blitz. Jackson is a quick edge rusher who can rotate in as a rookie and help Arizona improve on a poor pass defense.32. Steelers - Max Unger,&#160;OL Oregon - The Steelers love stockpiling offensive linemen and to be honest, that's the weakest area of their team right now.&#160;Unger is a versatile guy who can play both guard and tackle. Plus, he has the nasty demeanor the Steelers like. Note: My cousin Sal and I will be starting a weekly football show&#160;beginning on Tuesday, March 3 at 6:00. You&#160;will be able to listen to the show live or&#160;archived at www.RadioGrumblings.com.&#160;We will be delving into free agency and the draft with the in-your-face approach you have all become accustomed to from me. You will be able to call in and argue, so be sure to tune in.&#160;Here is the link to the&#160;show's page if you want to check it out:http://www.blogtalkradio.com/Tom-CasaleIf you have any comments or questions, feel free to e-mail me at tcasale@mail.com.]]></description>
					  <author>Thomas Casale</author>
					  <pubDate>Wed, 18 Feb 2009 00:00:00 CST</pubDate>
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					  <title><![CDATA[The Inside Slant - Sneaky Start of the Week]]></title>
					  <link>http://www.sportsgrumblings.com/football/articles/blogs/79/The-Inside-Slant---Sneaky-Start-of-the-Week.html</link>
					  <description><![CDATA[Hopefully this one will go much better than my last two suggestions (J.P.&#160;Losman and&#160;JaMarcus Russell). So why&#160;Amani Toomer? Because I think&#160;he&#8217;s going to have a big game this week against the Cowboys. With&#160;Plaxico&#160;Burress now out for the season, expect Eli Manning to use the reliable&#160;Toomer much more down the stretch. Plus, Toomer has had some big games against the Cowboys in the past.&#160;Dallas secondary sucks, although it might get better without&#160;Pacman Jones on the field. Still, possession receivers like&#160;Toomer give the Cowboys problems because the Dallas defensive backs play so far off the receivers. Look for Toomer to put up some big numbers this Sunday. ]]></description>
					  <author>Thomas Casale</author>
					  <pubDate>Thu, 11 Dec 2008 00:00:00 CST</pubDate>
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					<item>
					  <title><![CDATA[The Inside Slant - Jerry Jones Should be Shot]]></title>
					  <link>http://www.sportsgrumblings.com/football/articles/blogs/78/The-Inside-Slant---Jerry-Jones-Should-be-Shot.html</link>
					  <description><![CDATA[I have been a Cowboys fan for 30 years. In that time, one of the toughest guys to put on a Cowboys uniform is Marion Barber. This guy is as tough as they come with a heart the size of a lion. This week Jerry Jones questioned Barber's toughness when the running back said he&#160;couldn't play because of his dislocated toe. This is the same Jerry Jones who defends guys like Terrell Owens and&#160;Pacman Jones whenever possible. Owens, who routinely leads the NFL in drops, and Jones who has been a waste of a roster spot since signing with the Cowboys. Funny, I don't hear Jones criticizing them. Barber is one of the most respected players in that locker room. Why? Because he does his talking on the field instead of in the media. The problem with the Cowboys is they need more players like Barber, instead of the heartless prima donnas that currently make up that roster. Either that or they need Jones to sell the team, which would be the happiest day of my life.]]></description>
					  <author>Thomas Casale</author>
					  <pubDate>Mon, 08 Dec 2008 00:00:00 CST</pubDate>
					  <subject />
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