{"id":4723,"date":"2010-04-19T08:00:30","date_gmt":"2010-04-19T13:00:30","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.sinclairclarion.com\/?p=4723"},"modified":"2017-06-22T11:21:28","modified_gmt":"2017-06-22T16:21:28","slug":"mocking-the-nfl-draft","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sinclairclarion.com\/home\/tartan-news\/2010\/04\/19\/mocking-the-nfl-draft\/","title":{"rendered":"Mocking the NFL Draft"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>A lot has happened since the Clarion<\/em> gave its first attempt at sorting out the first five picks of the 2010 NFL Draft on SinclairClarion.com.<\/p>\n

Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford is now the likely first overall selection, Florida quarterback Tim Tebow signed an endorsement deal with Nike and the Washington Redskins are no longer in the market for a starting quarterback.<\/p>\n

Many experts believe the talent in the 2010 Draft is the one of the deepest in history.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s a preview of what the first ten picks would look like if I were running the show.<\/p>\n

1. St. Louis Rams (1-15) \u2014 Sam Bradford, QB, Oklahoma<\/strong><\/p>\n

After releasing former starting quarterback Marc Bulger, the Rams are forcing themselves into taking Bradford, the former Heisman Trophy winning from Oklahoma.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s not a bad decision by any means because St. Louis\u2019 roster is full of players who don\u2019t produce. Honestly, the Rams are so bad that picking any player at any position\u2014except running back\u2014would be an upgrade.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s little doubt when it comes to Bradford\u2019s intelligence and accuracy, but after sustaining two serious shoulder injuries in a two-month span, the Rams will have some worries to consider.<\/p>\n

Out of the 12 teams that made the playoffs last season, each starting quarterback either was drafted in the first round or has become a legitimate MVP candidate.<\/p>\n

2. Detroit Lions (2-14) \u2014 Ndamukong Suh, DT, Nebraska<\/strong><\/p>\n

If the Lions can grab this dominating defender, Detroit just might end its pathetic run of losing.<\/p>\n

Suh, a 6-foot-4 monster weighing in at 300 lbs., generates a ton of attention that other teams don\u2019t give to Detroit\u2019s awful defense. Suh automatically garners two blockers, which will allow Detroit linebackers to roam free.<\/p>\n

The Lions aren\u2019t winning a title anytime soon, but players like Suh are essential when it comes to turning a losing organization into one that wins consistently.<\/p>\n

3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-13) \u2014 Gerald McCoy, DT, Oklahoma<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Bucs need some serious interior line help, so they picked the right year to lose 13 games. Suh and McCoy are rare talents that both have the ability to dominate at the defensive tackle position straight out of college, so Tampa Bay could have either one of them if they drop to No. 3.<\/p>\n

McCoy has similar size and strength to Suh, but he\u2019s viewed as quicker threat. Tampa Bay doesn\u2019t have a lot of building blocks and I was torn between McCoy and Oklahoma State offensive tackle Russell Okung. Tampa is in a similar position with St. Louis in that there isn\u2019t a wrong answer.<\/p>\n

4. Washington Redskins (4-12) \u2014 Russell Okung, OT, Oklahoma State<\/strong><\/p>\n

Now that the Redskins plucked quarterback Donovan McNabb from the Philadelphia Eagles, quarterback is no longer an objective in the first round.<\/p>\n

Washington has to address the offensive line. Left tackle Chris Samuels retired, so Okung would be a wise investment if they want to keep McNabb healthy. The Redskins are a run-based team with three former Pro Bowl running backs on the roster. Okung has the size and strength to provide a solid structure to a weak offensive line.<\/p>\n

5. Kansas City Chiefs (4-12) \u2014 Brian Bulaga, OT, Iowa<\/strong><\/p>\n

Bulaga is a prototypical \u201ccan\u2019t miss\u201d prospect when it comes to offensive tackles. The size and strength are present and the nastiness is a welcoming characteristic. Plus, Bulaga has experience grinding it out in the \u201cbetween-the-tackles\u201d style of the Big Ten.<\/p>\n

Kansas City needs some serious help on the offensive line and Bulaga can step right in and provide.<\/p>\n

6. Seattle Seahawks (5-11) \u2014 Eric Berry, S, Tennessee
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n

Under head coach Pete Carroll, the Seahawks begin a new course with two picks in the first round. Selecting Berry would be an excellent beginning if Carroll gets the opportunity to pull the trigger.<\/p>\n

As a ball-hawking safety, Berry makes quarterbacks second-guess a decision to throw deep. Not only is Berry superior against the pass, but he can hold his own against the run. The Seahawks have a few more glaring needs along the roster, but Berry is a piece Seattle shouldn\u2019t pass up.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>7. Cleveland Browns (5-11) \u2014 Jimmy Clausen, QB, Notre Dame<\/strong><\/p>\n

With Mike Holmgren at the helm, the Browns finally have some one intelligent running the operation.<\/p>\n

Cleveland shot itself in the foot when they drafted Brady Quinn out of Notre Dame in 2007. But, Clausen shouldn\u2019t send the same negative shockwaves that Quinn produced during his three years in Cleveland.<\/p>\n

Clausen would be able to start from moment he signs and his arm can light up a scoreboard. He\u2019s going to have to deal with the Quinn comparisons for while, but Browns fans should get over it.<\/p>\n

I don\u2019t care if Cleveland signed Jake Delhomme to play quarterback. Delhomme isn\u2019t going to improve and he isn\u2019t leading anybody to the playoffs. Give Clausen the ball and get out of the way.<\/p>\n

8. Oakland Raiders (5-11) \u2014 Trent Williams, OT, Oklahoma<\/strong><\/p>\n

How many times can owner Al Davis screw this up and get away with it?<\/p>\n

It\u2019s clear Davis loves offense. In the last three drafts, Oakland has used its first round picks on quarterback JaMarcus Russell (bust), running back Darren McFadden (semi-bust) and wide receiver Darius Heyward-Bey (destination: Bust).<\/p>\n

So, in order for those players to discover any sort of success, somebody needs to block. That\u2019s why the Raiders must choose Williams. He\u2019s not going to be an elite tackle, but he\u2019s got to be better than what is already present in Oakland.<\/p>\n

9. Buffalo Bills (6-10) \u2014 Dez Bryant, WR, Oklahoma State<\/strong><\/p>\n

Since former All-Pro receiver Andre Reed left town, the Bills have lacked a true No. 1 receiver since 1999. Plug in Bryant and that problem is solved.<\/p>\n

With a 6-foot-2, 225-pound frame, Bryant is a force at the receiver position. Though Buffalo has zero talent at the quarterback position, Bryant is the kind of talent the Bills are in desperate need of.<\/p>\n

10. Jacksonville Jaguars (7-9) \u2014 Jason Pierre-Paul, DE, South Florida<\/strong><\/p>\n

Pierre-Paul is a freak of nature. It seems every draft class has one or two prospects that physically stand out above and beyond the rest. Pierre-Paul lacks big game experience and the numbers, but his physical skills are what impress NFL general managers the most.<\/p>\n

Jacksonville\u2019s Quentin Groves, the current starter at right defensive end, produced little pressure on opposing quarterbacks last year. It\u2019s become a serious necessity in a division with strong quarterback play from Indianapolis Colts QB Peyton Manning and Houston Texans QB Matt Schaub.<\/p>\n

11. Denver Broncos (8-8), from Chicago \u2014 Earl Thomas, S, Texas<\/strong><\/p>\n

After trading wide receiver Brandon Marshall to the Miami Dolphins, the Broncos are in dire need of a wideout. Bryant is gone at this point and the next rated receiver doesn\u2019t garner the No. 11 pick. Denver needs to keep upgrading its aging defense if it wants to improve.<\/p>\n

12. Miami Dolphins (7-9) \u2014 Derrick Morgan, DE, Georgia Tech<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Dolphins answered their biggest questions after acquiring Marshall, so the lack of pass-rushers needs to be resolved. Miami lost both starting outside linebackers Joey Porter and Jason Taylor from last year. Morgan fits nicely in the hybrid linebacker position accustomed to 3-4 defenses.<\/p>\n

13. San Francisco 49ers (8-8) \u2014 Joe Haden, CB, Florida<\/strong><\/p>\n

Outside of quarterback, the 49ers don\u2019t have a lot of holes to fill. Upgrading the cornerback position is never a bad idea and Haden can step right in and start from day one.<\/p>\n

14. Seattle Seahawks (5-11), from Denver \u2014 Rolando McClain, LB, Alabama<\/strong><\/p>\n

Carroll stacks his defense with this pick after already scooping Berry. McClain is a prototypical leader in the mold of linebacker Ray Lewis. Pairing McClain, Berry and last year\u2019s No. 4 overall pick Aaron Curry brings a ton of excitement to Seattle.<\/p>\n

15. New York Giants (8-8) \u2014 Anthony Davis, OT, Rutgers<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Giants had a tough year with injuries and in order to right the ship, New York needs to protect quarterback Eli Manning in 2010. Davis is raw, but he has the talent to become a vital piece to the puzzle.<\/p>\n

16. Tennessee Titans (8-8) \u2014 Dan Williams, DT, Tennessee<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Titans need to fill the hole left by former defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth. Selecting Williams allows the Titans to start him right away to help create some havoc on the line of scrimmage. Williams isn\u2019t on the same level as Suh or McCoy, but he\u2019s a nice value at pick.<\/p>\n

17. San Francisco 49ers (8-8), from Carolina \u2014 Mike Iupati, OG, Idaho<\/strong><\/p>\n

I\u2019ve never seen the guy live, but Iupati is shooting up draft boards. On film, Iupati is a physical blocker that any team would welcome with open arms. It\u2019s a difficult decision to select an offensive guard this early, but Iupati\u2019s skills warrant the pick.<\/p>\n

18. Pittsburgh Steelers (9-7) \u2014 Kyle Wilson, CB, Boise State<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Steelers are pretty set on offense, so going with a defensive back would be wise considering how thin the cornerback position is in Pittsburgh. I\u2019m not sure Wilson would start right away, but he was a highly impactful player for Boise State and Pittsburgh loves playmakers in its secondary.<\/p>\n

19. Atlanta Falcons (9-7) \u2014 Kareem Jackson, CB, Alabama<\/strong><\/p>\n

Jackson is one of the fastest players in the draft and he showed his coverage skills as a standout on Alabama\u2019s excellent defense last season. The Falcons need some help at corner and Jackson is the best player available. Makes sense to me.<\/p>\n

20. Houston Texans (9-7) \u2014 Maurkice Pouncey, C, Florida<\/strong><\/p>\n

The offensive line has always seemed to be a problem for Houston. Pouncey can start at center from day one or shift to a guard slot. He\u2019s the best center in the draft and would be a nice upgrade to a mediocre Texans offensive line.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>21. Cincinnati Bengals (10-6) \u2014 C.J. Spiller, RB, Clemson<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Bengals are pretty set on defense outside of a good pass rush. Cincinnati realized how important a running game is. Running back Cedric Benson has three years left, at best. Spiller is the best player available and Cincinnati usually takes that route when it comes to the first round. Spiller would be an excellent addition to an average offense.<\/p>\n

22. New England Patriots (10-6) \u2014 Golden Tate, WR, Notre Dame<\/strong><\/p>\n

Wide receiver Wes Welker is doubtful for the 2010 season. Tate would be an interesting addition. He has strong hands and is a good route runner. Quarterback Tom Brady makes everybody around him better and Tate would excel in New England.<\/p>\n

23. Green Bay Packers (10-6) \u2014 Bruce Campbell, OT, Maryland<\/strong><\/p>\n

Campbell is the most athletic offensive tackle in the draft and Green Bay has to protect quarterback Aaron Rodgers. This is a great value for Campbell who has high potential.<\/p>\n

24. Philadelphia Eagles (11-5) \u2014 Taylor Mays, S, Southern California<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Eagles have some serious holes on defense. Mays is a physical specimen at safety and I wouldn\u2019t be too surprised if Philadelphia transitioned Mays to linebacker. Mays is a big hitter that the Eagles have lacked since safety Brian Dawkins departed.<\/p>\n

25. Baltimore Ravens (9-7) \u2014 Brandon Graham, DE, Michigan<\/strong><\/p>\n

Graham would fit nicely into a 3-4 standout linebacker role and the Ravens need some help with their aging defense. Baltimore needs more impact players and Graham proved at Michigan that he can get to the quarterback with the best.<\/p>\n

26. Arizona Cardinals (10-6) \u2014 Sergio Kindle, LB, Texas<\/strong><\/p>\n

Another hybrid linebacker, Kindle plugs into the 3-4 scheme in Arizona. Kindle showed a remarkable knack for the football during his final season for Texas. The Cardinals lost a couple key pieces to their defense, so going defense with this pick is important.<\/p>\n

27. Dallas Cowboys (11-5) \u2014 Charles Brown, OT, Southern California<\/strong><\/p>\n

Dallas has a huge hole on the offensive line after left tackle Flozell Adams got releases. The Cowboys need to add some youth to the line and Brown is the best tackle available.<\/p>\n

28. San Diego Chargers (13-3) \u2014 Patrick Robinson, CB, Florida State<\/strong><\/p>\n

Trading cornerback Antonio Cromartie to the New York Jets opens up a hole in San Diego\u2019s secondary. Robinson has good speed and excels in coverage, and the Chargers seem to lean toward players in the secondary with their first round picks.<\/p>\n

29. New York Jets (9-7) \u2014 Carlos Dunlap, DE, Florida<\/strong><\/p>\n

If the Jets can pick Dunlap with the 29th pick, it would be considered a theft of epic proportion. Dunlap has top-five talent, but dealt with legal issues last season. If Dunlap can stay out of trouble, he has a chance to provide a strong spark to an already excellent defense.<\/p>\n

30. Minnesota Vikings (12-4) \u2014 Jahvid Best, RB, California<\/strong><\/p>\n

Running back Adrian Peterson couldn\u2019t hold onto a football in the playoffs and reliable backup Chestor Taylor bolted for Chicago in free agency. The Vikings have to get some insurance for Peterson how always seems to get small injuries over a course of the season. Best would be a nice third-down option, as well.<\/p>\n

31. Indianapolis Colts (14-2) \u2014 Everson Griffen, DE, Southern California<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Colts realize how important a pass rush is and Griffen is a nice value at No. 31. Defensive ends Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis are as good of pair as they come, but it never hurts to add pass rushers.<\/p>\n

32. New Orleans Saints (13-3) \u2014 Daryl Washington, LB, Texas Christian<\/strong><\/p>\n

After winning Super Bowl XXIV, the Saints lost two starting linebackers to an opportunistic defense. New Orleans is a very complete team, so it\u2019s obvious to take Washington, an athletic linebacker who can make all the plays.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A lot has happened since the Clarion gave its first attempt at sorting out the first five picks of the 2010 NFL Draft on SinclairClarion.com. Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford is now the likely first overall selection, Florida quarterback Tim Tebow signed an endorsement deal with Nike and the Washington Redskins are no longer in the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[3],"tags":[887,147,1272,148,146],"class_list":["post-4723","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-tartan-news","tag-887","tag-draft","tag-joseph-stueve","tag-mock","tag-nfl"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"cc_featured_image_caption":{"caption_text":false,"source_text":false,"source_url":false},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p5s3vR-1eb","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sinclairclarion.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4723","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sinclairclarion.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sinclairclarion.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sinclairclarion.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sinclairclarion.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4723"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.sinclairclarion.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4723\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4742,"href":"https:\/\/www.sinclairclarion.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4723\/revisions\/4742"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sinclairclarion.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4723"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sinclairclarion.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4723"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sinclairclarion.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4723"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}