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.  Detroit Lions – QB Mathew Stafford, Georgia - If the Lions want people to show up to home games this year they will draft Stafford.  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.  The smarter pick here might be an OT like Jason Smith, Eugene Monroe or even OLB Aaron Curry.  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.

 

2. St. Louis Rams- OT Jason Smith, Baylor – The Rams most obvious need is an offensive tackle.  The only real question is which OT should they select?  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.  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 19^th overall by the Rams in 2005.   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.

 

3. Kansas City Chiefs- OLB Aaron Curry, Wake Forrest – 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.  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.  Combine that with all the physical tools, and the Chiefs would have a great player to build their defense around.

 

4. Seattle Seahawks – OT Eugene Monroe, Virginia – The two biggest needs for the Seahawks this offseason were WR and DT.  With the big signings of WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh, and DT Colin Cole the Seahawks solved their two biggest problems.  The best pick here is to help their aging offensive line.  Monroe is a very solid player who could step in right away.  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.

 

5. Cleveland Browns – OLB Everette Brown, Florida St. – 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.  This time around with the Mangini will probably try to stick with defense.  Brown is the type of athlete that would be a perfect fit for an OLB in the 3-4 defense.  He has tremendous acceleration and speed but also has great strength and technique.  He is only 6’2” but has too much talent to pass up.

 

6. Cincinnati Bengals – WR Michael Crabtree, Texas Tech- They lost WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh, and WR Chad “Ocho Cinco” Johnson has openly complained about being in Cincinnati.  Crabtree is a phenomenal player and may even be the best overall talent in the draft.  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. 

 

7. Oakland Raiders- WR Jeremy Maclin, Missouri – 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.  There is no question that the Raiders need some help at this position.  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.  Franchise QB JaMarcus Russell is most likely in Davis’ ear convincing him to bring in some WR help.

 

8. Jacksonville Jaguars – DT B.J. Raji, Boston College – One of the reasons the Jaguars have had such a formidable defense over the years is because of the two huge DTs up front.  With the departure of DT Marcus Stroud last year that defensive line became a lot less formidable.  Adding B.J. Raji along side DT John Henderson would bring back the scary duo the Jaguars used to posses.  Raji is a big powerful DT who is requires double teams; Raji would be a perfect guy to fill the void of Stroud.

 

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.  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).  In order to build a great 3-4 defense the Packers need to bring in a pass rushing demon like Orakpo.  He has great size (6-3, 263), acceleration and a nose for the ball.  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.

 

10. San Fransico 49ers – OT Andre Smith, Alabama – 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.  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.  The 49ers really need to address other problems on their team before they draft another QB.  Andre Smith has top 3 overall talents he just needs to be kept on a leash and motivated.  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.

 

11. Buffalo Bills – DE Robert Ayers, Tennessee – The Bills defensive ends combined for 8 total sacks last year.  In a league with QB’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.  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…) it would really not be that surprising if they reached for him here.

 

12. Denver Broncos – 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 30^th in points allowed giving up 28 a game.  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.  Jenkins is a very good in coverage and has the skills to transition to safety.  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. 

 

13. Washington Redskins – 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.  There real need is someone that can rush the QB.  They only had 24 sacks as a team last year and they released DE Jason Taylor.  DT Albert Haynesworth will help, but he is not really known as a pass rushing DT.  Maybin is a guy that could come in right away and have an impact.  He is a pure pass rusher, who is very quick off the snap.  He needs to bulk up, but he could help fill the void left by Jason Taylor.

 

14. New Orleans Saints- CB Vontae Davis, Illinois – The Saints had a record breaking offense last year, yet they failed to reach the playoffs.  Defense wins championships and that is why the Saints need to address the defensive side of the ball.  After releasing Mike McKenzie the Saints really need a #1 corner.  They have a bunch of guys that on their very best days are #2 corners.  Davis much like his brother on the 49ers, Vernon, is a tremendous athlete.  He has too much talent and potential to pass up.

 

15. Houston Texans – 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 4^th round, Demeco Ryans 2^nd round, Jason Babin 2^nd round, Antwan Peek 3^rd).  Getting a WR to compliment Andre Johnson would make QB Matt Schaub very happy.  The Texans saw what the Cardinals were able to do with WRs Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin.  Imagine trying to game plan for Johnson, one of the most dominate WRs in the NFL and Heyward-Bey, a tall (6’2”) burner (4.30 in the 40) that will force teams to have a safety over the top.  The two of them would make a scary duo for any team to cover.

 

16. San Diego Chargers – DE Tyson Jackson, LSU - The Chargers have had a very quiet offseason other than the LT’s newly restructured deal they really have not made a splash in free agency.  They do have a very good team and there really are not too many glaring needs.  They did, however, lose DE Igor Olshansky the 6’6” 309 lb DE that helped anchor their 3-4 defense.  Tyson Jackson is a guy that would fit perfectly into the 3-4 defense, he has the size (6’4” 296 lbs.) and the strength to fit in right away.

 

17. New York Jets – QB Mark Sanchez, USC – This would be the dream scenario for the Jets.  Landing Sanchez with their 17^th pick is very unlikely.  It is more likely that the Jets or another team will try to trade up and get him if he falls past the 10^th pick.  The Jets are a team that really needs a QB.  After losing QB Brett Favre to retirement, the Jets are left with Kellen Clemens.  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?  If they are lucky enough to have Sanchez fall to 17 then it would be a no brainer to pick him. 

 

18. Chicago Bears – 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.  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.  Nicks is a very physical WR that can make the plays over the middle.  Bringing in a #1 WR could completely change the Bears offense.  Having a good receiving core could keep defenses honest and improve their already solid running game.  

 

19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers –QB Josh Freeman, Kansas St. - The Buccaneers obviously need a QB.  Right now their best option is QB Brian Griese, a 34 year old QB that has been a back up for three other teams.   They tried landing Cutler and are probably still pursing him, but their best option is through the draft.  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.  Josh Freeman is a QB that has a lot of talent.  He has one of the strongest arms in the draft and has a ridiculous amount of upside.  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.  If the Buccaneers can harness his talent then this pick could be a steal.

 

20. Detroit Lions (From: Dallas) OLB Brian Cushing, USC – The Lions need to address the defensive side with this pick.  They finished last in points allowed, yards allowed and rushing yards allowed.  Most of their starters would be back ups for other teams, and the only player that job is actually secure is OLB Ernie Sims.  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.  Cushing is a very good all around linebacker; he has all the skills and brings a lot of intensity, something the Lions desperately need. 

 

21. Philadelphia Eagles – RB Chris “Beanie” Wells, Ohio St. - The Eagles have not had a 1^st round pick for the last two years but this year they are fortunate enough to have 2.  When they have had 1^st round picks in the past they usually stick with the non-flashy picks and get defensive and offensive lineman.  This year, however, they have more pressing needs.  The biggest concern has to be RB.  RB Brian Westbrook is a very good RB and receiver out of the backfield but he seems to always be getting injured.  They also lost the RB that pounded the ball inside in Correll Buckhalter.  Wells can pound the ball inside and has shown that he has the speed (4.38 in the 40 at his pro day).  Wells may be the player that they need to get them out of their playoff slump.

 

22. Minnesota Vikings - OT Michael Oher, Ole Miss –It is no secret that the Vikings offense rests solely on the shoulders of RB Adrian Peterson and RB Chester Taylor.  The two of them have combined for over 2100 yards rushing last year.  The Vikings would probably jump at any opportunity to bolster their run game.  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.  Oher has quick feet and long arms, perfect for pushing defensive lineman out of the way and creating holes.  The Vikings allowed 45 sacks last year and this Oher could help out with this as well. 

 

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.  But after trading away team leader OLB Mike Vrabel, their biggest concerns has to be OLB.  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.  If they are not able to pick up a veteran player they will probably try to address this issue in the draft.  Sintim fits the Patriots mold for linebacker; he is big, strong, can rush the passer and is very versatile.  With a younger faster defense the Patriots should be the super bowl favorites this year.

 

24. Atlanta Falcons – 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.  The Falcons are a young team that looks like they are going to be a very good for a long time.  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.  They lost OLB Keith Brooking, a leader and cornerstone of their defense for the last 11 years.  Brookings is going to be a really tough player to replace.  Maualuga is one of the best linebackers is the draft and the Falcons would be happy to see him fall this far.  He brings ridiculous amount of intensity and passion to the field and would help with the loss of Brookings.

 

25. Miami Dolphins – 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.  The Dolphins are another team where the future looks bright and this draft will be very important for the future of their organization.  When Parcells was with the Cowboys he found a hidden gem in DeMarcus Ware out of Troy.  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.  English is a guy that is much like Ware in that he went to a small school and is not very well known.  He had tremendous production in college and really knows how to get after the QB.  English would be a good fit for the Dolphins and their 3-4 defense. 

 

26. Baltimore Ravens – WR Percy Harvin, Florida – 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 2^nd year QB Joe Flacco leading their offense.  The one thing they have really been missing on the offensive side of the ball is a playmaker.  The one word used to describe Percy Harvin is playmaker.  He kills teams running or catching the ball and is terrific athlete very similar to Reggie Bush.  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.

 

27. Indianapolis Colts – 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.  Ron Brace is a 334 lbs DT that is perfect for clogging up the middle.  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.  Brace would certainly help the Colts lower the 123 rushing yards that they were giving up per game.

 

28. Philadelphia Eagles – OT Ebon Britton, Arizona – The Eagles will most likely try to pick up a franchise left tackle in this draft.  Luckily there are a lot of very talented tackles in this draft class and the Eagles have two 1^st round picks so they have a lot of possibilities.  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.  Britton is solid all around tackle, he brings leadership and toughness.  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.

 

29. New York Giants – WR Kenny Britt, Rutgers – 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.  The 6’5” Burress gave him big target to throw it up to and saved him on a lot on poorly-thrown balls.  With Burress involved in a lot of legal trouble the Giants need to bring in a tall, physical WR to help Manning out.  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.  Kenny Britt is a player that plays a lot like Burress.  He is 6’3”, physical and finds ways to get open.  Britt has a ton of potential and has the ability to step in and be the #1 WR for the Giants. 

 

30. Tennessee Titians – CB Alphonso Smith, Wake Forest – The Titans were another surprising team last year going 13-3 and dominating its competition especially in the first half of the year.  Their strong defense and great RB combination has teams now trying to emulate them.  The Titans should probably try to get a #1 WR, CB, MLB or DT depending on who the best player available is.  Smith is a player that really should be drafted top 15 but the 5’9” has been labeled as “too small”.  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 5’10”, Bob Sanders 5’8”, DeAngelo Hall 5’10”, Adam “Pacman” Jones 5’10”).  Smith would be a steal for the Titans and it would really help them sure up their secondary.

 

31. Arizona Cardinals – RB Knowshon Moreno, Georgia – 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.  What was even more surprising was that they made it to the super bowl without a dependable running back.  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.  RBs Edgerinn James and Tim Hightower are not the answers to their problems.  Moreno is an all around back that has very good vision and cutting ability.  There is no question that Moreno could help out their anemic rushing attack.    

 

32. Pittsburgh Steelers – 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.  Adding depth would help out in a big way.  Robinson is a massive guard (6’5” 329 lbs) with a lot of talent who is versatile enough to move over to tackle.  Robinson would give the Steelers some security and would definitely compete for a starting job.  

Our mock draft is listed in the FFToolbox 2009 NFL Mock Draft Database!