| PFCritics.com Mock Draft -
Round 1 |
|
Houston Texans -
Reggie Bush, RB - USC |
|
1 |
 |
This is almost a no-brainer pick for the Texans. In fact, if the Texans
do not select Bush, then this entire mock draft could be completely
different. The only other questionable position that the Texans would
take is a quarterback, but it appears as if they are willing to give
David Carr at least another year. If Bush turns out to be the
"once-in-a-lifetime" player that he's being tagged as, then maybe it was
worth it all along to "throw away" so many games last season. |
|
New Orleans Saints -
D'Brickashaw
Ferguson, OT - Virginia |
|
2 |
 |
Prior to signing Drew Brees,
the Saints probably would have selected either Matt Leinart or Vince
Young at this pick. Now, the Saints could very well trade this pick to a
team that's interested in Leinart in an attempt to snag him before the
Titans do. If the Saints do not find an adequate trade though, their
options will come down to Ferguson and Mario Williams. The Saints
already lost a huge part of their offensive line to free agency (LeCharles
Bentley), and adding a franchise left tackle would only do well for
Brees and RB Deuce McAllister. |
|
Tennessee Titans -
Matt Leinart, QB - USC |
|
3 |
 |
Yes, the Titans do still have
Steve McNair, Billy Volek, and Matt Mauck on their team. McNair can
still play the same without question, but he has shown that he cannot
survive through a 16-week season without getting injured. Volek has
shown signs of life, but he will probably be well suited as a backup.
Taking Leinart will solidify the quarterback position on a team that is
attempting to mix proven veterans with their young players over the next
few seasons. |
|
New York Jets -
Mario Williams, DE - N.C.
State |
|
4 |
 |
With the Jets implementing the
3-4 defense under new head coach Eric Mangini, Williams will be the
perfect young player to make an impact in his system for a long time to
come. With Williams touted as possibly the second best player in the
draft, there is no way the Jets will pass him up here, unless Ferguson
is still on the board. |
|
Green Bay Packers -
A.J. Hawk, OLB - Ohio
State |
|
5 |
 |
The Packers have already made
several defensive upgrades, but there primary focus in the draft will
still be to improve up front. They will have their sights set on
Williams and Hawk, but chances are that Williams will either go to the
Jets or the Saints. Hawk is without question the best linebacker in the
draft and could wreck havoc on a division full of quarterbacks that
aren't considered very good. |
|
San Francisco 49ers -
Vernon Davis, TE -
Maryland |
|
6 |
 |
In the NFL, we are beginning
to see the idea of young quarterbacks being paired up with an elite
tight end. Eli Manning has Jeremy Shockey, Phillip Rivers has Antonio
Gates, and Charlie Frye will "supposedly" have Kellen Winslow Jr. Alex
Smith struggled to find the end zone last year, but a reliable target in
Davis will not only help Smith during crunch time, but he could draw
some defenders off of the receivers. |
|
Oakland Raiders -
Vince Young, QB - Texas |
|
7 |
 |
When the Raiders signed Aaron
Brooks, I can't imagine that Al Davis projected him as their quarterback
of the future. Brooks will only last a year with the Raiders as a
placeholder for either Young or Jay Cutler. Despite all of the downward
spirals that Young's stock has supposedly taken, just take a look at the
BCS Championship game to figure out why Davis simply can not pass him
up. |
|
Buffalo Bills -
Winston Justice, OT - USC |
|
8 |
 |
Justice's stock is constantly
rising, however, the question is whether or not it'll actually raise
this high. The Bills could just as easily take DT Haloti Ngata, but
Justice could potentially be not too far behind Ferguson in terms of a
franchise left tackle. Whoever the Bills choose as their quarterback
though, it would be nice to have a reliable protector for years to come. |
Detroit Lions -
Chad Jackson Michael Huff, CB/S - Texas |
|
9 |
 |
Please note that the Jackson
pick is purely sarcasm. This will mark the first time in years that the
Lions will be selecting a position besides wide receiver with their
first pick, and rightfully so. The Lions need to add someone in the
secondary, and Huff gives them the versatility to place him at
cornerback or safety. |
|
Arizona Cardinals -
Jay Cutler, QB -
Vanderbilt |
|
10 |
 |
The Cardinals just signed Kurt
Warner to a new deal, but honestly, isn't this the same situation that
the Titans are in? The Cardinals have not had a stable quarterback for
years, and although Warner can lead them well, he cannot survive a
16-week season anymore. Dennis Green will take Young at this spot if the
Raiders decide they want Cutler instead. |
|
St. Louis Rams -
Haloti Ngata, DT - Oregon |
|
11 |
 |
This area of the draft will
see a solid group of defensive players on the board, and that's exactly
what the Rams will be looking for. They will also have their eye on CB
Jimmy Williams, but Ngata and Bunkley are the best defensive tackles in
the draft. The Rams need a more dominating presence up front, so it'll
depend on whichever tackle they prefer. |
|
Cleveland Browns -
Broderick Bunkley, DT -
Florida State |
|
12 |
 |
The Browns have already made
some outstanding offensive and defensive acquisitions in the offseason,
including DT Ted Washington. Washington is old though, and the team
needs to develop a young defensive tackle that'll plug the line for
years to come. Ngata and Bunkley are probably the most realistic to go
to the Browns, but it's possible that they'll add a linebacker instead. |
|
Baltimore Ravens - Gabe Watson, DT -
Michigan |
|
13 |
 |
I'll admit, this is the only
spot of my mock draft where I felt I was reaching. Originally, I
believed that the Ravens would be interested in Justice, Bunkley, Ngata,
or Cutler. I don't really think they need a lot of help with their
linebackers and secondary, and the next best option at defensive tackle
is Watson. Why is that a reach? Because before I started my mock draft,
I had envisioned Watson being selected in the early part of the second
round. |
|
Philadelphia Eagles -
Ernie Sims, OLB -
Florida State |
|
14 |
 |
The Eagles defense is not what
is used to be, and Sims speed will add a spark to the team's defensive
unit. The Eagles would also love to have a defensive tackle, but the top
three players from that position are already selected. |
|
Denver Broncos -
Chad Jackson, WR -
Florida |
|
15 |
 |
The Broncos did not have very
many flaws last year, so they have to
decide whether their focus will be on offense or defense. The Broncos
need a running back after the departure of Mike Anderson, but there are
a lot more backs in the draft than there are receivers. While Rod Smith
and Ashley Lelie make a fair tandem, Smith is getting older and Lelie
still needs to establish himself a little more. |
|
Miami Dolphins -
Jimmy Williams, CB - Virgina Tech |
|
16 |
 |
After losing Patrick Surtain
and Sam Madison in recent years, the Dolphins could use some fresh blood
at the cornerback position. Ranked as the best cornerback in the draft,
Saban will be thrilled if Williams falls this far and is not selected by
the Rams or the Ravens. |
|
Minnesota Vikings - Jason Allen, S -
Tennessee |
|
17 |
 |
I certainly hope the Vikings
do not take another running back. They already signed Chester Taylor as
a free agent, and I would like the Vikings to stick with him. The
Vikings could really use a linebacker and have their sights set on Ernie
Sims in my mind. If the Eagles do indeed select him, Minnesota may still
consider Chad Greenway or DeMeco Ryans. However, Allen's potential at
safety will be difficult to pass up at this point. |
|
Dallas Cowboys - Kamerion Wimbley, OLB -
Florida State |
|
18 |
 |
After taking Demarcus Ware
last year, the Cowboys will continue their development of young,
playmaking linebackers. Wimbley's stock has been rising tremendously,
and his versatility will help the Cowboys stop the likes of Clinton
Portis and Tiki Barber in the NFC East. |
|
San Diego Chargers -
Santonio Holmes, WR -
Ohio State |
|
19 |
 |
After Keenan McCardell, the
Chargers do not have a significant threat at the wide receiver position.
Holmes will be a good target for Phillip Rivers to develop with over the
next few years as McCardell makes his transition towards retirement. |
|
Kansas City Chiefs - Tye Hill, CB -
Clemson |
|
20 |
 |
The Chiefs are in desperate
need of a big-name receiver, so it shouldn't please them that Jackson
and Holmes are already off the board - both to division rivals no less.
The Chiefs seem to always need an upgrade at cornerback, and new head
coach Herman Edwards will address a defensive need with Hill. |
|
New England Patriots -
Manny Lawson, DE/OLB
- N.C. State |
|
21 |
 |
I would have to believe that
this is a perfect match for the Patriots defense. The Patriots lost
Willie McGinest to free-agency, and Lawson provides the versatility of
defensive end and linebacker very well. The Patriots defense is what led
them to their Super Bowls, but they've been stuck with the 32nd pick in
the first round the past several years it seems. |
|
San Francisco 49ers -
DeAngelo Williams, RB -
Memphis |
|
22 |
|
I just finished my mock draft,
and found out about the 49ers trade with Denver to attain this pick. I
originally had the Broncos taking Williams, so I'm keeping it that way
for the moment. The 49ers will upgrade at two offensive positions if
they take a runner here, which would really add depth for the future of
this young team. |
|
Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Antonio Cromartie,
CB - Flordia State |
|
23 |
 |
The Buccaneers will probably
be thinking defense with this pick after taking Carnell Williams last
year. Cromartie will be the best available cornerback on the board, but
they could just as easily take defensive end Tamba Hali to offer a
future presence on the outside of the line. |
|
Cincinnati Bengals -
Leonard Pope, TE -
Georgia |
|
24 |
 |
The Bengals defense was able
to create a lot of turnovers last year, but they gave up way too many
yards and points, which could lean them towards taking a defensive
player at this spot. Offensively, perhaps their only weakness is at the
tight end position. Pope will add a tough, receiving tight end to
Palmer's game, and we know how important that can be when you compare
the situation to a team like the Colts. |
|
New York Giants -
Chad Greenway, OLB -
Iowa |
|
25 |
 |
Out of all of the teams, the
Giants are one of the few where I believe that they will take a
linebacker in the first round, regardless of what happens. Their
linebackers are nothing to brag about, and Greenway is an absolute steal
at this point. He was originally considered the second-best linebacker
behind A.J. Hawk only, but has fallen behind Ernie Sims and Kamerion
Wimbley over the past few weeks. |
|
Chicago Bears - Jonathan Joseph, CB -
South Carolina |
|
26 |
 |
The Bears obviously have some
problems moving the ball on offense, but that's something that can't
change in one year. The Bears are built on defense, and their
cornerbacks did not do a solid job in the playoffs last year. Nathan
Vasher will play one cornerback spot, but Charles Tillman will move to
safety and Jerry Azumah retired. |
|
Carolina Panthers -
Laurence Maroney, RB -
Minnesota |
|
27 |
 |
I was stuck between choosing
LB Bobby Carpenter or a running back for the Panthers. The Panthers
locked up RB DeShaun Foster, but history has shown that the Panthers are
usually down to their third-string runner come playoff time due to
injury. Their defense is manageable due to the playmakers they still
have, so they will hold off on a linebacker until round two. |
|
Jacksonville Jaguars - DeMeco Ryans, OLB -
Alabama |
|
28 |
 |
Similar to the Giants, I'm
almost positive that the Jaguars will take a linebacker with this pick.
Ryans seems to be the most obvious pick and will continue the progress
of one of the league's best defenses. |
|
New York Jets -
Marcus McNeil, OT - Auburn |
|
29 |
|
The Jets need a running back
after the injury concerns of Curtis Martin last year, but that may be
something that can hold off for another year, or be addressed in another
round. After missing out on Ferguson earlier in the first round, the
Jets will settle for the next best thing - Marcus McNeil. McNeil may be
underrated too - he has the potential to be a franchise left tackle as
well. |
|
Indianapolis Colts -
LenDale White, RB -
USC |
|
30 |
 |
The Colts will not settle with
Dominic Rhodes as their full-time starter, and they'll be thrilled if
White is still available at this point. White is not nearly the same as
RB Edgerrin James, but he has the talent to be worked into the Colts
system - especially on draw plays - very effectively. |
|
Seattle Seahawks - Tamba Hali, DE - Penn
State |
|
31 |
 |
The Seahawks ideally need an
upgrade in their secondary or a young offensive lineman due to the
departure of Steve Hutchinson. However, with most of the top cornerbacks
off the board and the offensive linemen not being overly impressive, it
may be difficult to pass up on Hali due to his potential, and the fact
that he could have been selected around the 20th spot. |
|
Pittsburgh Steelers -
Sinorice Moss, WR -
Miami |
|
32 |
 |
I'm sold on the fact that the
Steelers will either take Moss, or C Nick Mangold. However, after losing
Antwaan Randle El to the Bears, the Steelers need another receiver who
can be a deep threat for Ben Roethlisberger. Better yet, they need
another receiver threat in general after Hines Ward. |
