I realize I promised a full mock draft, and it is still on its way however I decided to break it into parts and post it through the weekend. I will still keep on the rest of the schedule I promised, but for now here are my projections, based on nothing more then what I have observed, as to how things could shake out at the draft in April.
1. Miami - Chris Long, DE, Virginia
Howie's boy is probably the one guy at the top of this board that best fits the Bill Parcells mold. Don't surprised if the Dolphins trade this pick to stockpile more in later rounds as the Fins need all the help they can get but if Miami stays put, this makes the most sense.
2. St. Louis - Jake Long, OT, Michigan
Two picks and two Longs gone. The Rams need help along both lines so a DL could go here, especially if Miami trades down and Chris is still on the board. But if Chris is gone, look for the Rams to draft a franchise OL similar to what they did with Orlando Pace in the late 1990s.
3. Atlanta - Matt Ryan, QB, Boston College
First the Falcons won the coin toss for the third pick and now they win the Matt Ryan lottery in this scenario. Ryan's pick not only signals the end of the QB problems that plagued the team last year but would officially help Atlanta get out of the Michael Vick era.
4. Oakland - Darren McFadden, RB, Arkansas
Look for the Raiders to trade this pick if McFadden falls this far and look for Dallas to be licking its chops to move up here. McFadden could be the Adrian Peterson of this year's class where he may just be too good to pass up to the team he falls too, even if they are already set at RB.
5. Kansas City - Brian Brohm, QB, Louisville
Despite a senior year in which the wheels fell off the Cardinals bus, KC has been desperate for a QB since Len Dawson retired and while Brohm may be too much of a reach for any other team in this spot, he may be too good for the Chiefs to pass up. Look for an OL to go in this spot as well.
6. New York Jets - Vernon Gholston, DE, Ohio State
This first round is all about the pass rush this year and the Jets nab the second best DE with this pick. The Jets have plenty of holes throughout that need patching but Gholston is the safest pick with the most potential.
7. New England (from San Francisco) - Leodis McKelvin, CB, Troy
Despite the ramifications of "Spygate," New England still has this pick and will probably use it to acquire more picks so they can continue to stockpile talent. If by chance they don't, look for them to get McKelvin to fill one of the few holes they had on defense.
8. Baltimore - Sedrick Ellis, DT, USC
The Ravens would like to take another chance at finding that all-important franchise QB but if Ryan and Brohm are both off the board, it might be a little early to grab at any of the others. Ozzie Newsome has a knack for finding talent in the draft regardless of position and with Ellis probably the best talent left on the board, look for the Ravens to go here.
9. Cincinnati - Derrick Harvey, DE, Florida
The Bengals were a mess last year but they still seem to have plenty of talent on offense so once again the defense needs to be addressed. And with DL's flying off the board, this is where the Bengals get theirs, taking Harvey to boost a pathetic pass rush. Look for the Bengals to address defense early and often in the draft.
10. New Orleans - Mike Jenkins, CB, South Florida
The Saints should look to bolster their secondary here and while the DB class this year is deep, the cream of the crop is thin and with only McKelvin gone at this point the Saints can cash in here with Jenkins.
The one thing about this year's class is that after the top 4, the name recognition diminishes. However, this will probably one of the classes that stocks the league for year's to come. Check back for the rest of my predictions throughout the weekend and let me know how far off the deep end you think I am.
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