Just Another Mock Draft: Picks 1-6

To start off my week-long draft rantings, I have decided to break the draft up, starting with the first 6 picks - this is a Redskins blog after all so I at least have to get to their pick in the first day - in Saturday's selection special. But rather than trying to guess who each team is going to pick, I am going to mention why each team should pick the player listed. Oakland is on the clock:

1. Oakland Raiders - JaMarcus Russell, QB, LSU
Aaron Brooks wasn't the answer. Neither was Art Shell. Or Randy Moss. Or anyone else on Oakland's 2006 squad. But with QB being the most glaring hole and with the Raiders passing on both Jay Cutler and Matt Leinart last year, they have to take Russell don't they? Russell came out early with the knowledge that he would probably end up in Oakland so if he is willing to go there, the Raiders should make him the QB of choice.

2. Detroit Lions - Brady Quinn, QB, Notre Dame
Because you can't draft a new general manager, the Lions should look for a QB that can develop some chemistry with all of those receivers the Lions have used their past first-round picks on so that Detroit can hope to win some games in the next decade. And because Quinn is nothing like Ryan Leaf, Detroit should feel confident that Quinn will be their quarterback later on down the line.

3. Cleveland Browns - Adrian Peterson, RB, Oklahoma
Cleveland probably needs a lucky clover more than anything else here in hopes of avoiding the slew of injuries the Browns sustained last year, but Peterson will be a good substitute ... as long as he can - say it with me - stay healthy. With Jamal Lewis only tied to the team for one year, what a perfect opportunity for the Browns to have a grizzled vet teach a young guy the NFL ropes.

4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Calvin Johnson, WR, Georgia Tech
Another offensively challenged team, Johnson is the best player in the draft and the Bucs would be lucky to have him fall to him. With Joey Galloway already over the hill in football years and Michael Clayton still trying to figure out what he's doing, the Bucs need some sort of downfield weapon and Johnson is easily the cream of the crop. No matter who ends up quarterbacking the team, they will definitely have an easier time is Johnson is the guy catching the ball.

5. Arizona Cardinals - Joe Thomas, OT, Wisconsin
Unlike the teams ahead of them, the Cardinals arguably only need to upgrade one spot to make a playoff run for this season. The problem is, they need to upgrade the entire offensive line. The place to start is by replacing departed left tackle Leonard Davis and the guy to do it is Thomas. With a solid replacement available here, if the Cardinals want to see Matt Leinart duplicate the success he had at USC, Thomas is the guy they need to start building with.

6. Washington Redskins - Gaines Adams, DE, Clemson
With no pass rush and the defense in shambles, the Redskins need to find a way to pressure the quarterback this year and Adams seems to be the guy who can get that task done. With obvious holes in the secondary as well, Adams could help hide some of those problems by getting to the quarterback quickly. That point is especially important since after this pick we won't hear from the Redskins again until Day 2.