MOCK DRAFT 5.0 

Chris Long still tops the board... 

A CONSENSUS TOP PICK? NOT YET. But there are a lot of very talented players worthy of that No. 1 overall selection. With Chris Long and Jake Long seemingly battling it out in the hearts and minds of NFL teams, we present our second Mock Draft... 

 1  DOLPHINS: Chris Long DE, Virginia
There's still a lot of debate about whether the Dolphins will go for Howie's son, but at the end of the day he's probably their best pick for several reasons. Long not only rejuvenates an aging defense right away but he brings an intensity now missing with Zack Thomas' departure.

 2  RAMS: Jake Long, OT, Michigan
This isn't the most glamorous pick, but it might be the best pick for the Rams. They got manhandled on offense all last year and desperately need to rebuild in that area. That makes a guy like Long a key, and he may also be the top talent in the draft.

 3  FALCONS: Glenn Dorsey, DT, LSU
The Falcons were awful at stopping the run last season and Dorsey (pictured) is a ready-to-play force in the middle of the D-line. His stock has been wavering in the months heading into the draft but Dorsey remains an accomplished and impressive talent.

 4  RAIDERS: Darren McFadden, RB, Arkansas
There's a lot of scuttlebutt out there that McFadden will drop lower than this but we're not convinced. He may have the most star potential of any offensive player in the draft and the Raiders really, really, need a guy like that, especially in the backfield.

 5  CHIEFS: Branden Albert, OG/T, Virginia
His stock has taken off like a rocket in recent weeks. Albert is now likely to be a top-10 pick and the Chiefs are in dire need of some more talent on the O-line after it has mostly eroded in recent seasons.

 6  JETS: Sedrick Ellis, DT, USC
The Jets' defense has been a bit of a mess lately after showing a lot of promise in head coach Eric Mangini's first season (2006). There is still talent there, and Ellis would be a nice fit with their overall approach because of his speed. Ellis is a true playmaker and won't likely slip much further than this.

 7  PATRIOTS: Vernon Gholston, DE, Ohio State
This is the type of player the Pats love: supremely athletic, very versatile, and a hard worker. He would be a fantastic fit with their overall scheme, and if he's still available at this point it's hard to see the Pats passing on him.

 
 8  RAVENS: Ryan Clady, OT, Boise State
The rumors continue that perennial Pro Bowl tackle Jonathan Ogden has decided to retire. That makes a player like Clady a must, and he is expected to land around this point. Clady is also a good pass-blocker, essential considering the struggles of Baltimore's QBs.

 9  BENGALS: Keith Rivers, LB, USC
The Bengals simply need playmakers on defense, and Rivers is one of the best in the draft. He is also a great athlete, which seems to usually be a top priority for Cincy at the draft. So overall, Rivers appears to be a natural fit here.

 10  SAINTS: Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, CB, Tennessee State
The Saints were downright terrible at stopping the pass in 2007 and need desperately to start focusing on that area of their game. Enter Rodgers-Cromartie, who is a fantastic athlete and someone who can also help out on special teams.

 11  BILLS: Devin Thomas, WR, Michigan State
This might seem a bit high for Thomas, but the Bills have shown they don't have a problem with going against others' expectations in the draft. They need a receiver to play alongside Lee Evans, and Thomas is the best wideout in the talent pool.

 12  BRONCOS: Jerod Mayo, LB, Tennessee
Mayo has reportedly been making a steady climb up the wish-lists of teams in recent weeks and the Broncos tend to covet athletic defenders. They also are in serious need of a tackling machine like Mayo after other teams ran all over them in 2007.

 13  PANTHERS: Rashard Mendenhall, RB, Illinois
Some might see this as a little high for Mendenhall (pictured) but he remains one of the top running backs in the Draft and the Panthers suddenly have very little depth at that position. Mendenhall might conceivably start for Carolina if he gets drafted here.

 14  BEARS: Matt Ryan, QB, Boston College
Every year the NFL Draft seems to have a highly-touted QB who drops significantly. This isn't a Brady Quinn drop, but we can see it happening. Ryan is good but isn't quite as heralded as the top QBs in several recent drafts. He would be a steal here for a Chicago team that needs him.

 15  LIONS: Chris Williams, OT, Vanderbilt
How easy would this pick be for the Lions? Last season QB Jon Kitna was simply pummeled by pass rushers, which led to some major problems on an otherwise-potent offense. Detroit has needs on defense too, but Williams might be the best fit.

 16  CARDINALS: Mike Jenkins, CB, South Florida
If Jenkins is still around at this point the Cards would be thrilled. They have a lot of issues in their secondary and Jenkins could solve a lot of them just by stepping on the field. He also brings the level of athleticism they often covet.

 17  VIKINGS: Leodis McKelvin, CB, Troy
The league's worst pass defense needs help, and if McKelvin is still available, he might be a nice pick here. His small-school status may see him last this long, and if it does he might be a bit of a steal for a team that needs a player like him.

 18  TEXANS: Felix Jones, RB, Arkansas
The recent signing of Chris Brown doesn't have the look of a long-term solution for Houston's challenges at tailback, sot hey need a potential star for the future. That may just be Jones (pictured), who doesn't get the hype he deserves.

 19  EAGLES: Limas Sweed, WR, Texas
Other than running back Brian Westbrook, who is Philly's most dependable receiver? Tough call, so a player such as Sweed could really help bolster what remains a pass-first attack.

 20  BUCCANEERS: Jonathan Stewart, RB, Oregon
The recent rise of Earnest Graham is a nice development for the Bucs but he is 28 years old. With Cadillac Williams not looking likely to return anytime soon, Tampa Bay needs to start looking to the future at running back and Stewart might be a steal here.

 21  REDSKINS: Quentin Groves, DE/OLB, Auburn
The Redskins have a need at defensive end and they tend to covet excellent athletes who are also versatile. Enter Groves, who might be a nice fit for them. A wideout is another possibility, but Groves appears more likely.

 22  COWBOYS: Aqib Talib, CB, Kansas
Despite their seeming dominance overall on defense in 2007, the 'Boys still aren't quite elite when it comes to stopping the pass. Talib is expected to go in this ranger (or earlier) and is a game-ready player who can help the team win now.

 23  STEELERS: Jeff Otah, OT, Pittsburgh
This selection makes sense in every way for the Steelers. Otah is not only from nearby Pitt, he will bring immediate depth to an O-line that is now without Alan Faneca. Some rough workouts may see Otah drop this low, which would be a boon for the Steelers. 

 24  TITANS: DeSean Jackson, WR/KR, California
The possible impending trade of Pacman Jones will leave the Titans in need of another top-tier return man, and the Titan's passing game is in search of a playmaking wideout. Jackson fits the bill in both those areas.

 25  SEAHAWKS: Dan Connor, LB, Penn State
The Seahawks found a great one in Lofa Tatupu in 2005 but can still be run on occasionally. Their incredibly aggressive blitzing defense is in need of another Tatupu, and Conner might be that guy. He's highly underrated.

 26  JAGUARS: Phillip Merling, DE, Clemson
The Jags have boasted a sometimes-dominant defense in recent years but it has also been injury-plagued. That makes a player like Merling a great add here, because he is versatile and appears to be game-ready.

 27  CHARGERS: Brian Brohm, QB, Louisville
The Chargers are often unpredictable in the draft, but they do have a tendency to pick underrated and promising talents. Brohm fits that characterization, and while he doesn't fill a clear need, incumbent QB Philip Rivers is coming off a ACL surgery.

 28  COWBOYS: Malcolm Kelly, WR, Oklahoma
The Cowboys have a certain amount of talent in their wideout corps but also a lot of question marks (including the fact Terrell Owens is 34 years old). Enter Kelly, who can give them a superb end-zone target right away.

 29  49ers: Gosder Cherilus, OT, Boston College
The Niners are overhauling their offense, and part of that needs to be rebuilding an O-line that gave up a whopping 55 sacks last season. Cherlius comes from a great program for linemen and at the very least can help rejuvenate the running game.

 30  PACKERS: Derrick Harvey, DE, Florida
Despite the presence of perennial star end Aaron Kampman, the Packers aren't exactly dominant on the pass rush. Harvey is a smart player who might be a real steal this late in the first round (that is, if he is still available).

 31  GIANTS: Kentwan Balmer, DT, North Carolina
Anyone who saw the Super Bowl knows that the Giants' greatest strength is their prolific pass-rush. That said, Kawika Mitchell is gone and Michael Strahan is 36 years old, so the Giants need to add some youthful depth. The versatile Balmer would be a nice fit for them with that in mind.