2009 NFL Mock Draft V.3

2009 NFL MOCK DRAFT V.3 Round 1

#1 Detroit Lions: Matt Stafford, QB, Georgia:
To draft anything other than a QB would be an exercise in futility. Which essentially means the Lions will do what they always do and exercise their futility. I have hope though with the new regime in Motown they will draft their QB of the future. Kitna is done, we'll see him backing up somebody in the near future. Orlovsky did an admirable job considering the cast around him. Drew Stanton just looked awful the times he was in there. Orlovsky should be given one more year to start with Stafford sitting on the bench learning the ways of the NFL. I'm not sure he is NFL ready the way Matt Ryan was. I see more Joe Flacco, could start if needed but the Lions are in no way as talented as the Ravens.

#2 St. Louis Rams: Eugene Monroe, OT, Virginia:
The Rams are hurting in a bad way. They need help with just about every position. OL, all aspects of defense and quite possibly a new QB. The idea here is to look at the best available player. Aaron Curry is an option but is Linebacker a more pressing need than Left Tackle? I've heard grumblings of Michael Crabtree here but I think Donnie Avery is working out well for them. With the available players out there I think a new LT is the best option here.

#3 Kansas City Chiefs: Brian Orakpo, DE, Texas:
Here's my 1st crazy theory of the 2009 draft. With the signing of Todd Haley as the new head coach I foresee the Chiefs signing Kurt Warner as their starting QB. I'll wait for everybody to stop laughing......OK, now here are my reasons. Warner will not have to learn a new system, he'll just step into Haley's old system. I've also heard that the two had a very good working relationship. Warner would also help Tyler Thigpen's growth tremendously. Besides all that is Arizona really committed to keeping Warner? Not with bonus baby Leinart sitting on the bench they're not. I think it's a fantastic idea myself. With that said Orakpo would be an excellent upgrade over the shadows that replaced Jared Allen.

#4 Seattle Seahawks: Michael Crabtree, WR, Texas Tech:
I think this might be the only sure thing of the draft. It makes the most sense of all the teams. What made the Seahawks suck so bad last year? 1. No receivers: This fixes that problem immediately. 2. Bad Secondary: This is no sure thing CB/Safety in this draft. With possibly the exception of Vontae Davis, but that is just a guess. 3. No game changing RB: Is Beanie Wells or Knowshon Moreno a game changer? I think they are glorified 2nd round picks myself. 4. Fragile QB: With all the needs this team has you do not waste a high 1st round pick on a player that will sit on the bench for 2 years minimum. 5. They play in Seattle: The team has no chance of following the Sonics to Oklahoma City.

#5 Cleveland Browns: Vontae Davis, CB, Illinois:
So, Malcolm Jenkins is everybody's #1 DB in this draft. I have to disagree. I watched most of the U of Chief Illiniwek's games this year and Davis is a game-changer. Excellent coverage skills, hard hitter and athletic. The 40 time and his height are also intriguing.

#6 Cincinnati Bengals: B.J. Raji, DT, Boston College:
I gotta say the main reason I am making this pick is due to Marvin Lewis being his coach at the Senior Bowl. The second reason is the Bengals REALLY need a DT. The Bengals were 21st last year in rushing yards allowed, allowing 120.1 yards per game. This pick combined with the return of Keith Rivers will make the Defense somewhat respectable. The only sticking point with this pick is he does not have a criminal record. The Bengals might just have to overlook that.

#7 Oakland Raiders: Malcolm Jenkins, CB, Ohio State:
The Silver and Black need help on the Offensive Line. Jamarcus Russel needs some time back there. But, Nnamdi Asomugha will not be back next year. After the failed DeAngelo Hall experiment Al Davis needs to improve his secondary.

#8 Jacksonville Jaguars: Jeremy Maclin, WR, Missouri:
Khalif Barnes had a bad season last year. But he has been doing a decent job in those trenches for 4 years now and he will rebound next year. Combine that with his minuscule contract means they will not give up on him yet. The receiving corps on the other hand need some fresh blood in there to say the least. Maclin will be a stud in the NFL. He is tall enough and fast enough to work the sidelines and big enough to work the slot. He will make the Jags fans forget about the team's ineptitude at drafting 1st round WR's. Much like the Lions finally striking gold with Calvin Johnson.

#9 Green Bay Packers: Everette Brown, DE, Florida St.:
The Pack is converting to a 3-4 Defense. If B.J. Raji is available that is the pick. But in my mock he is already gone. They could reach for Peria Jerry but I don't think he is top 10 worthy. That might change after the combine though. KGB was released last year and Aaron Kampmann was decent. Other than that I don't see a lot of other options for them. Brown is probably the best of the DE's in this draft although his size might be a concern.

#10 San Francisco 49ers: Mark Sanchez, QB, USC:
Shaun Hill, J.T. O'Sullivan and Alex Smith are all great QB's.....for the Arena League. San Fran needs to upgrade. There are questions about Sanchez. Does he have the experience to make it in the NFL? Matt Cassell proved that a USC QB who didn't even start can make it. I like this pick and so will the Niners fans. Eventually.

#11 Buffalo Bills: Tyson Jackson, DE, LSU:
The Bills were right below the Bengals in rush defense. So by the transitive property of mock drafts the Bills need to go for a DE as well. 'Cuz y'know we are talking about an exact science here. Anyways, the Bills had 24 sacks last year. That's 14 more than the Chiefs and we all know how much they sucked last year.

#12 Denver Broncos: Aaron Curry, OLB, Wake Forest:
I'm torn on this pick. Do the Broncos need a dominant ILB like Maualuga or do they take a chance that an OLB like Curry here is athletic enough to switch to the middle. After much Kerry-esque flip flopping I decided Curry is the man here.

#13 Washington Redskins: Michael Oher, OT, Ole Miss:
It looks like the Redskins will be letting Jon Jansen walk this year. Even though I think that might be a bad idea, Oher can step right in and replace him. Another option is the Redskins going after Jordan Gross in Free Agency and draft a DE here. Which seems more like Daniel Snyder's style.

#14 New Orleans Saints: Rey Maualuga, ILB, USC:
Yet another in the long line of amazingly athletic LB's from USC. The Saints had two major weaknesses last year Linebacking and the Secondary. With Tracy Porter coming back next year the CB depth is a little bit better. I think for the betterment of the Saints Scott Fujita should not be back and Vilma needs to move to the outside. You will be hearing Maualuga's name being called at the Pro Bowl for many years to come.

#15 Houston Texans: D.J. Moore, CB, Vanderbilt:
Some say D.J. Moore is the best pure coverage CB in this draft. I say that sounds good and I can't wait to see him at the combine. The Texans were tied for 21st with 12 Ints last year and they were 17th giving up 213.9 passing yards. Think how many yards they would have given up if they didn't have Mario Williams and DeMeco Ryans. I think Moore will be a suitable replacement for Dunta Robinson if he leaves via free agency.

#16 San Diego Chargers: Aaron Maybin, DE/OLB, Penn St:
The Chargers are not going to draft a replacement for LaDainian Tomlinson. They will give him one more year to prove that he is not this year's Shawn Alexander. They will on the other hand draft Darren Sproles' replacement later in the draft. Look for Javon Ringer, Ian Johnson or Tyrell Sutton to get a call from the Bolts on the second day of the draft. Now, I don't think San Diego will have any problem drafting a replacement for Igor Olshansky though. My only question is if it will be Maybin, Larry English or Michael Johnson. Can't wait for the Combine.

#17 New York Jets: Percy Harvin, WR, Florida:
The Jets need a playmaker at WR. The Jets did not have a deep threat or a 1000 yard receiver last year. Jericho Cotchery and Laverneus Coles are good receivers but they are not 1st option WR's. Percy Harvin showed in the title game that he has heart and talent. I think he should have gotten some of that love that was thrown at Tim Tebow by the announcers.

#18 Chicago Bears: Jason Smith, T, Baylor:
What to do, what to do?! The Bears need a WR. The Bears need some help on the D-line. The Bears need some help in their secondary. The Bears absolutely need some help on the O-Line to keep Orton healthy and whoever is backing him up out of the game. I say grab a Tackle now and hope he stays healthy. Grab a Dominic Hicks in the 2nd round and maybe grab a somewhat decent CB in the third. Got it Jerry Angelo? OK good thats covered.

#19 Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Josh Freeman, QB, Kansas St:
Taking Freeman in the 1st round is a reach. But, of all the teams that need a QB the Bucs are the one that can afford to overlook their other needs. The Bucs need a WR but can afford to take one in the second round. Ditto with a Linebacker. But, Freeman will be gone by the time they draft in the 2nd round. Freeman is going to get a ton of comparisons to Joe Flacco for the next two months. I think that is warranted. Big, strong and from a "small" school. Tampa Bay hopes rookie playoff QB is another comparison.

#20 Detroit Lions: Andre Smith, T, Alabama:
If the NFL is one thing it is a copycat league. Look how many teams suddenly adopted the wildcat formation for example. Last year the Falcons drafted a QB #1 and used their second 1st round pick on OT Sam Baker. They made the playoffs. I'm sure the Lions want to make the playoffs. I don't think Matt Millen wanted to, I think he just liked drafting in the top 10 every year. Lions would be foolish not to follow the example of the Falcons. Draft a franchise QB and then grab a big Tackle to keep him upright. Andre Smith's rep has taken a huge hit since the end of the season. Being suspended for talking to a scout was just the start. At the Senior Bowl his inability to stop the speed rush hurt more than anything.

#21 Philadelphia Eagles: Knowshon Moreno, RB, Georgia:
Two things are certain in Philly, the cheesesteaks are the best sandwiches you will ever eat and Brian Westbrook will be injured for part of the year. This pick will not be made to replace Westbrook but to complement him and fill in when he is hurt. Moreno is a more enticing option over Beanie Wells for the Eagles. Moreno does not have the injury bug that has followed Wells and Moreno is a better pass catching RB. I think either one will help the team but you do not want to replace a injury prone RB with another injury prone RB.

#22 Minnesota Vikings: Brian Cushing, OLB, USC:
Minnesota's defense started to get a lot of respect last year. This pick will cement the fact that they have the best defense in the NFC North. Cushing lined up on the opposite side of Greenway is a dominating duo. Minnesota is also in a position to take best available player. The team is pretty solid and the only two needs they have are secondary and of course QB. With Freeman gone there is a huge talent dropoff. There is a chance that S Louis Delmas or Patrick Chung will be available later.

#23 New England Patriots: Chris "Beanie" Wells, RB, Ohio St:
Kind of a surprise pick here. But, this is all dependent on my 2nd crazy theory/ prediction. I'm guessing the Pats play heavy in the LB free agency pool. How do you think Suggs, Ray Lewis, Karlos Dansby or LeRoy Hill would look in a Pats uniform? So, if New England decides to fix their most glaring need via free agency why not make your already strong offense even better? Laurence Maroney is already showing signs of being old and he's only 24. Get some fresh legs in there to spell Old Man Maroney.

#24 Atlanta Falcons: Brandon Pettigrew, TE, Oklahoma St:
If you have Marcus Pollard on your team, you need help at TE immediatly. Brandon Pettigrew is the top ranked TE in this draft. I think Chase Coffman will be a better TE down the road, but this guy ain't bad either.

#25 Miami Dolphins: Larry English, DE/OLB, N. Illinois:
The Dolphins were ranked 25th against the pass last year. Is that more because of their secondary or the lack of a pass rush. I am guessing they look at DE and grab English here (or Michael Johnson) and grab a DB like San Jose St's Coye Francies later on in the draft.

#26 Baltimore Ravens: James Laurinaitis, ILB, Ohio St:
The Ravens are going to lose one of their LB's. If it is Ray Lewis then this is the pick, if it is Terrell Suggs then it will be Clay Matthews or Clint Sintim. If it's Bart Scott then they will draft a WR. My apologies to all the Bart Scott fans out there.

#27 Indianapolis Colts: Peria Jerry, DT, Ole Miss:
One thing was certain last year, who ever was rushing against the Colts was going to have a very nice game. Colts are going to be very happy to see Jerry here at #27. I would like to see the Colts go after Albert Haynesworth via free agency and maybe slide Jerry over to DE.

#28 Philadelphia Eagles: William Beatty, OT, Connecticut:
Tra Thomas and Jon Runyan are either leaving or getting old. Either way Eagles need to draft a replacement for one of them. William Beatty and Phil Loadholt are in battle to see who is the 4th best OT out there. Look for the Eagles to draft a TE, maybe a Chase Coffman, in the second round.

#29 New York Giants: Darrius Heyward-Bey, WR, Maryland:
Six Shooter Plaxico probably won't be coming back to the Giants. Which means they will need another fast big man. Let's hope Heyward-Bey isn't a NRA member. The Giants do still Mario Manningham and Marcus Monk. Besides the obvious greatness of the alliteration, either one of these M&M's could be a starter next year. The other option is taking whichever Linebacker Baltimore doesn't take. The Giants need some depth at that position. Look for them to address the secondary in the 2nd round.

#30 Tennessee Titans: Fili Moala, DT, USC:
No matter who the Titans draft here, it will be a reach. All of the 1st round caliber WR's, OT's and DT's have been taken. Moala is a borderline 1st round pick anyways so this pick makes the most sense. But, only if they lose Haynesworth. If they somehow manage to retain him look for Cal's C Alex Mack to be the selection here.

#31 Arizona Cardinals: Larry English, DE, Northern Illinois:
This is the pick only and only if Karlos Dansby leaves the team. Johnson is athletic enough to pull off outside linebacker but could also put a hand down and replace Antonio Smith and Bryan Robinson. If the team manages to keep Karlos Dansby (there is a good chance they will franchise him) then the team will look at LeSean McCoy. Edge is good as gone. Tim Hightower could still be a servicable RB but he will need someone to platoon with. McCoy will be a definite upgrade over J.J. Arrington.

#32 Pittsburgh Steelers: Duke Robinson, OG, Oklahoma:

It's hard to believe that the Steelers need anything after the incredible year that they had. But, when you have a line that gave up that many sacks you might want to look into that. Robinson will soon be having dinner at one of Big Ben's pool parties. His teammate Phil Loadholt might be another option. It just depends on which is a greater need; interior line or on the outside of the line. It looks to me like Robinson might be the better option.

Here is V.2 of my Mock Draft. I've made a few changes that make a little more sense. I also noticed that I had Tyson Jackson going twice in the first round. So I fixed that little oversight. Enjoy.

2009 NFL MOCK DRAFT V.1 Round 1

#1 Detroit Lions: Matt Stafford, QB, Georgia:
I've heard some people from the D call for an O-lineman or D-lineman. I think they are as high as Kwame Kilpatrick. You have to go QB here. Matt Stafford is no Matt Ryan but he's also not Rick Mirer. You have to establish yourselves with a franchise QB first then try to get everything to fall into place.

#2 St. Louis Rams: Michael Oher, T, Mississippi:
The Rams will absolutely pick a Tackle here. The only question is which one? Smith, Eugene Monroe or Michael Oher? I think the Rams really wanted Jake Long last year and will try to achieve the same success as the Dolphins and Browns have achieved in recent years with drafting a Tackle first.

#3 Kansas City Chiefs: Mark Sanchez, QB, USC:
Poor Tyler Thigpen. I think that if Herm were still in charge this would not be the pick. But with the rumored Shannahan coming in, you can bet that he will want his own little toy to mold.

#4 Seattle Seahawks: Michael Crabtree, WR, Texas Tech:
Slam Dunk and Hole in one selection. Does anything else make sense? The 'Hawks need a lot of pieces to get back into contention. Vontae Davis, Aaron Curry or one of the USC linebackers could be an option. But their greatest need is WR.

#5 Cleveland Browns: Vontae Davis, CB, Illinois:
Aaron Curry is the sexy pick here but I think Davis is a stud. And lord knows the Browns secondary was horrible. Maybe next year the Browns could tank again and get his teammate Arrelious Benn.

#6 Cincinnati Bengals: Aaron Curry, OLB, Wake Forest:
The loss of Keith Rivers last year hurt the Bengals. Although it seems strange to draft a LB #1 two years in a row so is keeping Chad Johnson when he's begging to leave. WR could be a good call here as well, you gotta think that Housh is leaving Cincy quicker than Venus Flytrap.

#7 Oakland Raiders: Malcolm Jenkins, CB, Ohio State:
Nnama...Nnami....NnagonnabeaRaider soon will be leaving the Silver and Black. Time to find an upgrade, or sign Pacman Jones and draft another RB. Who knows what the hell Al Davis will do?!

#8 Jacksonville Jaguars: Jeremy Maclin, WR, Missouri:
The Jags receivers were woefully pathetic this year. Maclin might be just what this recieving corps needs. Big and strong possesion receiver. Maybe just maybe he might teach the Jags top WR flops how to care about an NFL game.

#9 Green Bay Packers: B.J. Raji, DT, Boston College:
Raji will be brought in to do what KGB showed he was unable to do anymore....sack the QB! Green Bay was horrid last year in getting to the passer. They finished 25th in that category. They also finished 26th in rushing yards allowed with 131.6 per game. That ain't good. They have to focus on defense.

#10 San Francisco 49ers: Eugene Monroe, T, Virginia:
This has got to be the worst QB draft in a long time. Even Stafford is an iffy prospect. With Stafford and Sanchez gone the next possible is Josh Freeman and there is no way that guy is a top 10 pick. Niners need a QB but I think the best bet is to shore up the O line and try to keep whoever is back there alive for a year. Focus on the QB of the future with next years draft. Or maybe grab somebody like Central Washington's Mike Reilly or Texas Tech's Graham Harrell on the second day.

#11 Buffalo Bills: Brian Orakpo, DE, Texas:
I still think that TE is the way to go but, I gotta say the Bills need a pass rush more than a check down option for the QB. The starting DE's Denney and Kelsay combined for 6 sacks last year. Yep, 6. A server from Denny's and Kelsey Grammer could probably achieve that.

#12 Denver Broncos: Rey Maualuga, ILB, USC:
I think the Niko Koutouvides experiment is over. Maualuga lined up next to Wesley Woodyard is going to be one of the top LB tandems in football very soon. Maualuga is just a beast and he is a very smart football player. Another route the Broncos might pursue is RB. They hired an Offensive minded coach and he might want to go Offense first. If this is the case look for Knowshon Moreno here.

#13 Washington Redskins: Everette Brown, DE/OLB, Florida State:
Do you think the Redskins got what they wanted out of Jason Taylor? Is Andre Carter really only 29? When you have these kinds of questions you might want to consider getting younger on your Defensive Line. Rumor has it that Jon Jansen is on his way out, if this happens then I would expect the Redskins to look at the OL instead.

#14 New Orleans Saints: James Laurinaitis, ILB, Ohio State:
Man do I want to see the Saints draft a shutdown corner here. But is D.J Moore or Sean Smith that kind of corner they need? Maybe? Is Laurinaitis the kind of non-stop LB that they need? Absolutely. Saints go with the Best Player Available option here.

#15 Houston Texans: D.J. Moore, CB, Vanderbilt:
The Texans just need some help with the secondary. I've heard talk about the Texans going after a DE, this would be like the Cardinals going after Wes Welker, just plain overkill. Dunta Robinson and Jacques Reeves had decent years, but Reeves' team leading 4Int's are not going to be enough.

#16 San Diego Chargers: Tyson Jackson, DE, LSU:
The Chargers need someone who will plug up holes and stop the run. They have two stud 'Backers who can get to the QB. They are less than thrilled with where Igor Olshansky is heading so look for the Bolts to draft a replacement for the former Duck. Running Back is an option but you have to give one more year to LT to see if he is Shaun Alexander. I see the Chargers drafting someone like Javon Ringer on the second day to replace Darren Sproles and maybe eventually LT.

#17 New York Jets: Percy Harvin, WR, Florida:
Harvin has some injury concerns but how can you ignore his performance in the championship game? The kid has heart and he should have gotten some of that sycophantic love that was thrown at Tim Tebow. Jets have a couple of aging WR's with an aging RB and an aged QB. Let's get some youth up there.

#18 Chicago Bears: Jason Smith, T, Baylor:
What to do, what to do? Bears need a receiving threat badly. Bears need a DE badly. Bears need to keep Orton healthy really badly. I think the Bears go after the first two options via free agency and draft a young and hopefully healthy prospect.

#19 Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Brian Cushing, OLB, USC:
What do you get when you combine a young Defensive minded coach and an old future hall of famer LB? A need for a young stud 'Backer from USC. Bucs will be thrilled to see Cushing down this far. If he is gone, look for Clint Stintim or Cushing's teammate Clay Mathews.

#20 Detroit Lions: Andre Smith, T, Alabama:
If the NFL is one thing it is a copycat league. Look how many teams suddenly adopted the wildcat formation for example. Last year the Falcons drafted a QB #1 and used their second 1st round pick on OT Sam Baker. They made the playoffs. I'm sure the Lions want to make the playoffs. I don't think Matt Millen wanted to, I think he just liked drafting in the top 10 every year. Anyways, look for the Lions to copy the Falcon's and get a stud Lineman. Right now, alot of mocks have Smith as a top 10 pick I think Smith will drop significantly in the mocks come combine time.

#21 Philadelphia Eagles: Knowshon Moreno, RB, Georgia:
Three things are certain in Philly: The cheesesteaks will always be the best, the fans will boo the teams and Westbrook will be hurt. At first I wanted to put Beanie Wells here, but what's the point in drafting an oft injured RB as insurance for an oft injured RB? Plus Moreno is a better pass catching RB.

#22 Minnesota Vikings: William Moore, S, Missouri:
Someday scientists will study Darren Sharper, Shawn Springs and Joey Galloway and find out why they don't age. Sharper has got to be close to being done right? Vikings draft a possible replacement.

#23 New England Patriots: Sean Smith, CB, Utah:
Patriots missed Asante Samuel more than they would like to admit. Deltha O'Neal was not an adequate replacement. Sean Smith will rise up the rankings after the combine.

#24 Atlanta Falcons: Clay Matthews, OLB, USC:
Keith Brooking is starting to look like he's lost a step or two. Although you can't replace his leadership the Falcons need to get younger with the LB's. Curtis Lofton was an excellent pick up last year and Matthews will step right in to start, either for Brooking or opposite Brooking. Matthews is the forgotten talent from that strong USC defense. Look for the Falcons to pick up a DT in the 2nd round. With their eyes on Moala from USC or Hood from Missouri.

#25 Miami Dolphins: Aaron Maybin, DE/OLB, Penn State:
What can you say? The Tuna will draft somebody that will help this team. I have complete faith in the Tuna. I am scared of that man.

#26 Baltimore Ravens: Darrius Heyward-Bey, WR, Maryland:
How far do you think the Ravens would have gone if they had another (or in some minds any) offensive threat to catch Flacco's passes? Mason and Clayton are looking to Joey Galloway and Bobby Engram to share some of their stash from the fountain of youth. I think it's still a toss up between Heyward-Bey and Kenny Britt as to who belongs in the 1st round.

#27 Indianapolis Colts: Peria Jerry, DT, Mississippi:
One thing was a given last year, whoever was running against the Colts was going to get a 100+ rushing game. Colts need to stop that if they want to get back to the Super Bowl. This guy just might help with that. Moala from USC is another option.

#28 Philadelphia Eagles: Brandon Pettigrew, TE, Oklahoma State:
Remember that talk about the Eagles going after Kellen Winslow Jr at the trade deadline? With this pickup they are going to be very happy they didn't pick up that headache. Brent Celek has been a nice surprise but the Eagles want a game changer. I can see Pettigrew being along the lines of John Carlson in Seattle. Steady, reliable and able to multitask both blocking and receiving.

#29 New York Giants: Kenny Britt, WR, Rutgers:
I don't think Six-Gun Plaxico is coming back next year. If he does, he is going to be on an extremely short leash. Probably resulting in being released at some point. Time to get some depth in there. Mario Manningham should be ready to play next year to fill Plaxico's spot but just in case here is Kenny Britt.

#30 Tennessee Titans: Max Unger, C, Oregon:
It would be so great if the Titans would just draft a WR in the 1st round, but no that would just make things too easy for their geriatric QB and their psychotic QB. I don't think there are any more 1st round caliber receivers left at this point. It's the Titans punishment for overachieving this year. Mawae is got to be ready for retirement soon. If the Titans lose Haynesworth to free agency look for a DT selected here.

#31 Pittsburgh Steelers: Eben Britton, T, Arizona:
Big Ben was sacked 56 times this year! That my friends is outrageous for a Super Bowl team. Time to fix pretty much the only thing lacking on this team.

#32 Arizona Cardinals: Larry English, DE, Northern Illinois:
I think it's a safe bet that the Cards will focus on Defense in the draft. Travis LaBoy and Antonio Smith did an admirable job this year. I just think it could get alot better. Larry English is rising up the charts with a bullet after the Senior Bowl.