GridIronKing34
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Figured I'd post this for you Saints fans to read... Just some more reading material for the offseason, hope you guys enjoy. Also, note that I'm a Dolphins fan so I'm not super knowledgeable about the Saints, I'm sure you'll like your team's pick though.
NFL Mock Draft
1. Miami Dolphins: Chris Long, DE, Virginia
--Bill Parcells loves his linebackers and having a son of a hall of fame defensive end only sweetens the pot. You'll see Chris Long playing outside linebacker in the Dolphins 3-4 defense next to Joey Porter. I would imagine Jason Taylor would be sent packing for a first day draft pick on draft day.
2. St Louis Rams: Glenn Dorsey, DT, LSU
--The Rams need help on defense and bringing in the best player in the draft will do so. Dorsey will wreck havoc in the middle and push Adam Carriker outside as the team's defensive end.
3. Atlanta Falcons: Matt Ryan, QB, Boston College
--The Falcons brought in Michael Turner to help aid the development of their new quarterback... Matt Ryan. The Falcons have a lot of work ahead of them and adding a franchise quarterback is merely the start for the Falcons.
4. Oakland Raiders: Darren McFadden, RB, Arkansas
--The Raiders' Al Davis loves the sexy pick, so who does he select? The best running back on the board who draws comparisons to Adrian Peterson. Darren McFadden will look to join JaMarcus Russell in the journey to return Oakland to the Super Bowl.
5. Kansas City Chiefs: Jake Long, OT, Michigan
--This is the Chiefs dream come true to see Jake Long fall to them. Jake Long will lead the Chiefs woeful offensive line by starting at tackle while giving Larry Johnson the chance to redeem himself.
6. New York Jets: Vernon Gholston, DE, Ohio State
--The Jets brought in Calvin Pace, but that's definitely not enough. New York could use a top notch pass rushing linebacker that Pace can compliment. Gholston fits that bill without question and he'll look to become the Shawn Merriman in New Jersey, er New York!
7. New England Patriots: Leodis McKelvin, CB, Troy
--This is just a slap in the face with New England getting a top tend pick. They lost Asante Samuel to the Philadelphia Eagles in free agency, but they had very little worries. The Patriots grab the best cornerback in this year's deep draft class in McKelvin. He'll start next to Hobbs as the team's number one cornerback, pushing Hobbs back to that secondary role.
8. Baltimore Ravens: Ryan Clady, OT, Boise State
--The Ravens have a few options here, but they'll look to reshore their offensive line with Ryan Clady. Clady is athletic enough to play the left tackle position so he could wind up replacing All-Pro Jonathan Ogden.
9. Cincinnati Bengals: Sedrick Ellis, DT, USC
--The Bengals need another defensive tackle to help aid their rush defense. Not a single defensive tackle for the Bengals has shown much so the Bengals will draft Ellis to start on defense and help improve their mediocre run defense.
10. New Orleans Saints: Keith Rivers, LB, USC
--The Saints spent a lot of money on cornerbacks in the likes of Jason David and Randal Gay; as well as drafting Usama Young in the third round the past year. They added Jonathan Vilma this year, but they aren't quite done yet. Rivers will look to start on the outside as the Saints continue to bring themselves back up to their 2006 NFC Championship run.
11. Buffalo Bills: Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, CB, Tennessee State
--The Bills need help at wide receiver and cornerback, but the 11th overall pick isn't exactly the place to be reaching for a wide receiver when there isn't a clear-cut number one option. Instead, they draft Rodgers-Cromartie who looks to replace former cornerback, Nate Clement, as their shutdown cornerback.
12. Denver Broncos: Jeff Otah, OT, Pittsburgh
--The Broncos definitely didn't expect their starting left tackle in Matt Lepsis to retire so that gives them a new hole to fill. Jeff Otah will come to Denver with some big shoes to fill. He'll likely get to know Jay Cutler pretty well for the next ten years, hopefully better than Brandon Marshall.
13. Carolina Panthers: Derrick Harvey, DE, Florida
--The Panthers could really use another pass-rushing threat to complement Julius Peppers. This could also lead to Peppers' exit out of Carolina, but this selection will likely lead to one of the top pass rushing duos in the NFL.
14. Chicago Bears: Chris Williams, OT, Vanderbilt
--The Bears offensive line is atrocious, and quote old... There's no way around that. Chris Williams will arrive in Chicago to help improve the run game and maybe even the pass game. Benson can succeed in the NFL if his offensive line makes holes for him run through. The addition of Williams should help that.
15. Detroit Lions: Rashard Mendenhall, RB, Illinois
--The Lions need a running back in their offensive system after drafting wide receivers every year it seems. They have their quarterback of the future in Drew Stanton with some solid receivers in Calvin Johnson, Roy Williams, and Shaun McDonald. All they need is a good running back and they'll have a great offense to boot. Mendenhall will do so for the Lions as he'll replace Kevin Jones as the team's starting running back.
16. Arizona Cardinals: Jonathan Stewart, RB, Oregon
--Let's face it, Edgerrin James hasn't really don't much for Arizona and with Arizona's players, you'd think he'd have a big effect. The Cardinals are like the Lions, but with higher expectations. Expect them to draft "The Edge's" replacement in Jonthan Stewart.
17. Minnesota Vikings: Phillip Merling, DE, Clemson
--We could go either two direcitons here for Minnesota, either wide receiver or defensive end. With Phillip Merling on the board, it's too hard to pass him up. Merling will provide what the Vikings' past defensive ends haven't been able to, a solid player rushing from the outside.
18. Houston Texans: Mike Jenkins, CB, South Florida
--The Texans could use an offensive tackle, but there's no need to reach for one in Gosder Cherilus or Sam Baker. They'll take the best cornerback on the board in Mike Jenkins. Dunta Robinson is coming off an injury and you can't trust him in that fact. Worst case scenario, they have three good cornerbacks in Robinson, Bennett, and Jenkins.
19. Philadelphia Eagles: Malcolm Kelly, WR, Oklahoma
--The first wide receiver goes off the board as Philadelphia looks to give Donovan McNabb (Or Kevin Kolb) a solid target not named Terrell Owens. Both Reggie Brown and Kevin Curtis are good receivers, but they aren't that go-to-guy. Drafting Kelly will give the Eagles one of the top up and coming receiver corp. in the league.
20. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Devin Thomas, WR, Michigan State
--The Buccaneers could use a few positions here, but Jon Gruden won't want to give up a chance to piece together a raw talent like Devin Thomas. Devin Thomas may not be the number one guy in his first year, but he'll give the Buccaneers a go-to-guy for the future as we all know Joey Galloway has one year in the tank, maybe two if we're lucky.
21. Washington Redskins: Kenny Phillips, S, Miami
--Unfortunately the Redskins safety position didn't need to be addressed six months ago, but with the tragic passing of Sean Taylor, the free safety position needs to be addressed. The Redskins will bring in another safety from "The U" in Kenny Phillips. He'll look to fill Sean Taylor's shoes as a player and leader, which will be very hard to do.
22. Dallas Cowboys: Felix Jones, RB, Arkansas
--Jerry Jones wants the other Arkansas running back in Darren McFadden, but he'll have to settle with his partner in crime. Felix Jones is a quick and shifty back that will complement Marion Barber to the point Cowboy fans will be saying "Julius Jones who?"
23. Pittsburgh Steelers: Branden Albert, OG, Virginia
--Some draft gurus have Albert rising, but I think he'll stay exactly where many have him, at the 23rd overall selection. With the loss of Al Faneca, the Steelers are going to need a replacement. Albert is perfect for that role as he's the number one guard in this years draft class and should be able to fill in for the aging Al Faneca.
24. Tennessee Titans: Limas Sweed, WR, Texas
--The Tennessee Titans would love a top tier wide receiver and they'll get one in Vince Young's college teammate in Limas Sweed. The fact that Young and Sweed have some built in chemistry from Texas is merely a bonus as the Titans look to give Young some more weapons to work with as guys like Roydell Williams and Justin Gage just aren't cutting it.
25. Seattle Seahawks: Kentwan Balmer, DT, North Carolina
--The Seahawks could use a few players here, but Balmer is definitely the likely choice. The Seahawks have a solid defensive tackle rotation, but they could use a legit starter. Balmer will fix up that Seattle defensive line and be a starter for years to come.
26. Jacksonville Jaguars: Calais Campbell, DE, Miami
--The Jaguars could use a solid defensive end, as Paul Spicer is their only good starting defensive end. Hayward hasn't that he can stay healthy for a reason in Jacksonville and they don't have much more to offer. Campbell will look to help fill the void and leave Hayward as a situational pass rusher.
27. San Diego Chargers: Aqib Talib, CB, Kansas
--The Chargers weren't expecting Talib to fall this far, but looks to me they found their replacement for Drayton Florence. Talib will likely be the team's nickelback with the chance to go up the ranks. The nice thing with San Diego is that he won't have a load of pressure like he would with other teams.
28. Dallas Cowboys: DeSean Jackson, WR, California
--The Cowboys probably weren't expecting to draft DeSean Jackson here, but with Terry Glenn's health up in the air, they'll need a speedster to complement Terrell Owens. Although Owens only has a few years left, he has shown no signs of slowing down and Jackson will look to be that number two option, leaving Crayton in the slot.
29. San Francisco 49ers: Quentin Groves, DE, Auburn
--Seems like this is what everyone thinks that San Francisco will look to address. That defense hasn't really shown much, even with the additions of Nate Clements and Michael Lewis. With a pass rusher like Quentin Groves, it'll take the pressure off Clements and rookie linebacker Patrick Willis. Groves will look to make an instant impact for the 49ers just like another rookie for San Fracisco.
30. Green Bay Packers: Antoine Cason, CB, Arizona
--The Packers cornerbacks aren't getting any younger in Charles Woodson and Al Harris, adding Antoine Cason will bring some youth to the secondary. The Packers have a relatively young front seven and adding Cason will help as the Packers look to be built for the present and the future. Cason will look to be the team's nickelback as he is slowly worked into the starting line up.
31. New England Patriots (Forfeited)
--Selection forfeited.
32. New York Giants: Dan Connor, LB, Penn State
--The Giants could go many of ways here, but after losing the likes of Kawika Mitchell and Reggie Torbor, they could use a new linebacker. Dan Connor is the best linebacker in the draft other than Keith Rivers. Connor will look to start at the team's weakside linebacker position and try to help the Giants return to the Super Bowl in 2008-2009.
NFL Mock Draft
1. Miami Dolphins: Chris Long, DE, Virginia
--Bill Parcells loves his linebackers and having a son of a hall of fame defensive end only sweetens the pot. You'll see Chris Long playing outside linebacker in the Dolphins 3-4 defense next to Joey Porter. I would imagine Jason Taylor would be sent packing for a first day draft pick on draft day.
2. St Louis Rams: Glenn Dorsey, DT, LSU
--The Rams need help on defense and bringing in the best player in the draft will do so. Dorsey will wreck havoc in the middle and push Adam Carriker outside as the team's defensive end.
3. Atlanta Falcons: Matt Ryan, QB, Boston College
--The Falcons brought in Michael Turner to help aid the development of their new quarterback... Matt Ryan. The Falcons have a lot of work ahead of them and adding a franchise quarterback is merely the start for the Falcons.
4. Oakland Raiders: Darren McFadden, RB, Arkansas
--The Raiders' Al Davis loves the sexy pick, so who does he select? The best running back on the board who draws comparisons to Adrian Peterson. Darren McFadden will look to join JaMarcus Russell in the journey to return Oakland to the Super Bowl.
5. Kansas City Chiefs: Jake Long, OT, Michigan
--This is the Chiefs dream come true to see Jake Long fall to them. Jake Long will lead the Chiefs woeful offensive line by starting at tackle while giving Larry Johnson the chance to redeem himself.
6. New York Jets: Vernon Gholston, DE, Ohio State
--The Jets brought in Calvin Pace, but that's definitely not enough. New York could use a top notch pass rushing linebacker that Pace can compliment. Gholston fits that bill without question and he'll look to become the Shawn Merriman in New Jersey, er New York!
7. New England Patriots: Leodis McKelvin, CB, Troy
--This is just a slap in the face with New England getting a top tend pick. They lost Asante Samuel to the Philadelphia Eagles in free agency, but they had very little worries. The Patriots grab the best cornerback in this year's deep draft class in McKelvin. He'll start next to Hobbs as the team's number one cornerback, pushing Hobbs back to that secondary role.
8. Baltimore Ravens: Ryan Clady, OT, Boise State
--The Ravens have a few options here, but they'll look to reshore their offensive line with Ryan Clady. Clady is athletic enough to play the left tackle position so he could wind up replacing All-Pro Jonathan Ogden.
9. Cincinnati Bengals: Sedrick Ellis, DT, USC
--The Bengals need another defensive tackle to help aid their rush defense. Not a single defensive tackle for the Bengals has shown much so the Bengals will draft Ellis to start on defense and help improve their mediocre run defense.
10. New Orleans Saints: Keith Rivers, LB, USC
--The Saints spent a lot of money on cornerbacks in the likes of Jason David and Randal Gay; as well as drafting Usama Young in the third round the past year. They added Jonathan Vilma this year, but they aren't quite done yet. Rivers will look to start on the outside as the Saints continue to bring themselves back up to their 2006 NFC Championship run.
11. Buffalo Bills: Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, CB, Tennessee State
--The Bills need help at wide receiver and cornerback, but the 11th overall pick isn't exactly the place to be reaching for a wide receiver when there isn't a clear-cut number one option. Instead, they draft Rodgers-Cromartie who looks to replace former cornerback, Nate Clement, as their shutdown cornerback.
12. Denver Broncos: Jeff Otah, OT, Pittsburgh
--The Broncos definitely didn't expect their starting left tackle in Matt Lepsis to retire so that gives them a new hole to fill. Jeff Otah will come to Denver with some big shoes to fill. He'll likely get to know Jay Cutler pretty well for the next ten years, hopefully better than Brandon Marshall.
13. Carolina Panthers: Derrick Harvey, DE, Florida
--The Panthers could really use another pass-rushing threat to complement Julius Peppers. This could also lead to Peppers' exit out of Carolina, but this selection will likely lead to one of the top pass rushing duos in the NFL.
14. Chicago Bears: Chris Williams, OT, Vanderbilt
--The Bears offensive line is atrocious, and quote old... There's no way around that. Chris Williams will arrive in Chicago to help improve the run game and maybe even the pass game. Benson can succeed in the NFL if his offensive line makes holes for him run through. The addition of Williams should help that.
15. Detroit Lions: Rashard Mendenhall, RB, Illinois
--The Lions need a running back in their offensive system after drafting wide receivers every year it seems. They have their quarterback of the future in Drew Stanton with some solid receivers in Calvin Johnson, Roy Williams, and Shaun McDonald. All they need is a good running back and they'll have a great offense to boot. Mendenhall will do so for the Lions as he'll replace Kevin Jones as the team's starting running back.
16. Arizona Cardinals: Jonathan Stewart, RB, Oregon
--Let's face it, Edgerrin James hasn't really don't much for Arizona and with Arizona's players, you'd think he'd have a big effect. The Cardinals are like the Lions, but with higher expectations. Expect them to draft "The Edge's" replacement in Jonthan Stewart.
17. Minnesota Vikings: Phillip Merling, DE, Clemson
--We could go either two direcitons here for Minnesota, either wide receiver or defensive end. With Phillip Merling on the board, it's too hard to pass him up. Merling will provide what the Vikings' past defensive ends haven't been able to, a solid player rushing from the outside.
18. Houston Texans: Mike Jenkins, CB, South Florida
--The Texans could use an offensive tackle, but there's no need to reach for one in Gosder Cherilus or Sam Baker. They'll take the best cornerback on the board in Mike Jenkins. Dunta Robinson is coming off an injury and you can't trust him in that fact. Worst case scenario, they have three good cornerbacks in Robinson, Bennett, and Jenkins.
19. Philadelphia Eagles: Malcolm Kelly, WR, Oklahoma
--The first wide receiver goes off the board as Philadelphia looks to give Donovan McNabb (Or Kevin Kolb) a solid target not named Terrell Owens. Both Reggie Brown and Kevin Curtis are good receivers, but they aren't that go-to-guy. Drafting Kelly will give the Eagles one of the top up and coming receiver corp. in the league.
20. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Devin Thomas, WR, Michigan State
--The Buccaneers could use a few positions here, but Jon Gruden won't want to give up a chance to piece together a raw talent like Devin Thomas. Devin Thomas may not be the number one guy in his first year, but he'll give the Buccaneers a go-to-guy for the future as we all know Joey Galloway has one year in the tank, maybe two if we're lucky.
21. Washington Redskins: Kenny Phillips, S, Miami
--Unfortunately the Redskins safety position didn't need to be addressed six months ago, but with the tragic passing of Sean Taylor, the free safety position needs to be addressed. The Redskins will bring in another safety from "The U" in Kenny Phillips. He'll look to fill Sean Taylor's shoes as a player and leader, which will be very hard to do.
22. Dallas Cowboys: Felix Jones, RB, Arkansas
--Jerry Jones wants the other Arkansas running back in Darren McFadden, but he'll have to settle with his partner in crime. Felix Jones is a quick and shifty back that will complement Marion Barber to the point Cowboy fans will be saying "Julius Jones who?"
23. Pittsburgh Steelers: Branden Albert, OG, Virginia
--Some draft gurus have Albert rising, but I think he'll stay exactly where many have him, at the 23rd overall selection. With the loss of Al Faneca, the Steelers are going to need a replacement. Albert is perfect for that role as he's the number one guard in this years draft class and should be able to fill in for the aging Al Faneca.
24. Tennessee Titans: Limas Sweed, WR, Texas
--The Tennessee Titans would love a top tier wide receiver and they'll get one in Vince Young's college teammate in Limas Sweed. The fact that Young and Sweed have some built in chemistry from Texas is merely a bonus as the Titans look to give Young some more weapons to work with as guys like Roydell Williams and Justin Gage just aren't cutting it.
25. Seattle Seahawks: Kentwan Balmer, DT, North Carolina
--The Seahawks could use a few players here, but Balmer is definitely the likely choice. The Seahawks have a solid defensive tackle rotation, but they could use a legit starter. Balmer will fix up that Seattle defensive line and be a starter for years to come.
26. Jacksonville Jaguars: Calais Campbell, DE, Miami
--The Jaguars could use a solid defensive end, as Paul Spicer is their only good starting defensive end. Hayward hasn't that he can stay healthy for a reason in Jacksonville and they don't have much more to offer. Campbell will look to help fill the void and leave Hayward as a situational pass rusher.
27. San Diego Chargers: Aqib Talib, CB, Kansas
--The Chargers weren't expecting Talib to fall this far, but looks to me they found their replacement for Drayton Florence. Talib will likely be the team's nickelback with the chance to go up the ranks. The nice thing with San Diego is that he won't have a load of pressure like he would with other teams.
28. Dallas Cowboys: DeSean Jackson, WR, California
--The Cowboys probably weren't expecting to draft DeSean Jackson here, but with Terry Glenn's health up in the air, they'll need a speedster to complement Terrell Owens. Although Owens only has a few years left, he has shown no signs of slowing down and Jackson will look to be that number two option, leaving Crayton in the slot.
29. San Francisco 49ers: Quentin Groves, DE, Auburn
--Seems like this is what everyone thinks that San Francisco will look to address. That defense hasn't really shown much, even with the additions of Nate Clements and Michael Lewis. With a pass rusher like Quentin Groves, it'll take the pressure off Clements and rookie linebacker Patrick Willis. Groves will look to make an instant impact for the 49ers just like another rookie for San Fracisco.
30. Green Bay Packers: Antoine Cason, CB, Arizona
--The Packers cornerbacks aren't getting any younger in Charles Woodson and Al Harris, adding Antoine Cason will bring some youth to the secondary. The Packers have a relatively young front seven and adding Cason will help as the Packers look to be built for the present and the future. Cason will look to be the team's nickelback as he is slowly worked into the starting line up.
31. New England Patriots (Forfeited)
--Selection forfeited.
32. New York Giants: Dan Connor, LB, Penn State
--The Giants could go many of ways here, but after losing the likes of Kawika Mitchell and Reggie Torbor, they could use a new linebacker. Dan Connor is the best linebacker in the draft other than Keith Rivers. Connor will look to start at the team's weakside linebacker position and try to help the Giants return to the Super Bowl in 2008-2009.
