VanFulpen’s Mock Draft 2.0

With the Jay Cutler trade now done, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers signing Byron Leftwich here is the latest Mock Draft:

1. Lions: QB Matt Stafford, Georgia
Lions want a franchise quarterback and get one with Stafford. Now they hope he isn’t the next Joey Harrington.

2. Rams: OT Jason Smith, Baylor
They cut Orlando Pace and now they have a replacement with Smith.

3. Chiefs: OT Eugene Monroe, Virginia
This gives the Chiefs bookend tackles as the reunite Monroe with Brandon Albert.

4. Seahawks: LB Aaron Curry, Wake Forest
Curry is possible the best player in the draft and he'll replace Julian Peterson.

5. Browns: WR Michael Crabtree, Texas Tech
The Browns are looking to trade Braylon Edwards to the New York Giants and Crabtree would be the perfect replacement.

6. Bengals: OT Andre Smith, Alabama
The Bengals need help in the offensive line and Smith gives that to them.

7. Raiders: WR Darrius Heyward-Bey, Maryland
Al Davis loves speed and Heyward-Bey was the fastest wide receiver at the NFL Scouting Combine.

8. Jacksonville: DT B.J. Raji, Boston College
Raji gives the Jaguars a player to team with John Henderson on the inside of the defensive line.

9. Packers: OLB Brian Orakpo, Texas
Orakpo teams up with Aaron Kampman to give the Packers two great outside pass rushers.

10. 49ers: OT Michael Oher, Ole Miss
The 49ers could go with quarterback Mark Sanchez here as well.

11. Bills: OLB Everette Brown, Florida State
Brown gives the Bills the pass rusher they are looking for.

12. Broncos: QB Mark Sanchez, USC
Sanchez is the replacement for quarterback Jay Cutler now in Chicago.

13. Redskins: DE Robert Ayers, Tennessee
The Redskins cut Jason Taylor and use their first round pick to replace him.

14. Saints: CB Vontae Davis, Illinois
The Saints cut Mike McKenzie, Davis will take his place.

15. Texans: LB Clay Matthews, USC
Matthews' name is huge in Houston with his uncle Bruce now part of the organization and the Texans are looking to upgrade the linebacker core.

16. Chargers: LB Brian Cushing, USC
Cushing is a perfect fit for the 3-4 scheme, with the potential to play inside or outside.

17. Jets: WR Jeremy Maclin, Missouri
Maclin is a replacement for Laveranues Coles who is now with the Bengals.

18. Broncos: OLB Aaron Maybin, Penn State
Maybin helps them in their switch to the 3-4 defense.

19. Buccaneers: QB Josh Freeman, Kansas State
Yes the Buc’s signed Leftwich, but Freeman is their quarterback of the future.

20. Lions: LB Rey Maualuga, USC
Maualuga starts from day one in the middle for the Lions.

21. Eagles: RB Chris Wells, Ohio State
Wells is the big back that the Eagles lack.

22. Vikings: WR Percy Harvin, Florida
Harvin play-making skills will go perfect with Adrian Peterson.

23. Patriots: CB Darius Butler, Connecticut
Patriots need help in the secondary and Butler might turn out to be the best one.

24. Falcons: TE Brandon Pettigrew, Oklahoma State
Pettigrew would give Matt Ryan a big target, but they might not draft him if they can pull the trade off for Tony Gonzalez.

25. Dolphins: CB Malcolm Jenkins, OSU
Jenkins is the kind of big physical cornerback that the Dolphins like.

26. Ravens: OLB James Laurinaitis, Ohio State
Laurinaitis starts from day one next to Ray Lewis, and when Lewis is done takes over for him.

27. Colts: DT Evander Hood, Missouri
Hood is a perfect fit for the Tampa Two defense the Colts run.

28. Eagles: OT Eben Britton, Arizona
Britton give the Eagles help on the offensive line.

29. Giants: RB Donald Brown, UConn
This pick could be the Browns if they make the trade for Braylon Edwards.

30. Titans: DT Peria Jerry, Mississippi
The Titans start to try to replace Albert Haynesworth.

31. Cardinals: RB Knowshon Moreno, Georgia
Moreno in, Edge out in Arizona.

32. Steelers: DE Tyson Jackson, LSU
The best defense in the league gets better with Jackson.

Photo Credit: SEC Sports Media, College Press Box

Player Profile: Jason Smith Baylor OT

Pros: Smith shines as a great pass blocker—he former tight end has the necessary long arms to keep pass rushers at bay. He shows great balance, nimble feet, is very quick off the snap and he gets to the second level to create big plays, especially when pulling. Smith plays hard and has a dominating presence on the field, which is why he is viewed as possessing the ideal skill set to protect the quarterback’s backside. He is still learning and might have the most upside of any offensive linemen in the Class of 2009.

Cons: Smith is not as experienced as the other top offensive linemen and is a bit raw, not surprising considering he did not start his career at Baylor playing in a three-point stance. For a former tight end, he doesn’t move from side-to-side as well as one might anticipate. There is a lot of speculation about whether he has the upper body strength to handle bull rushers and he doesn’t dominate as a run blocker as much scouts would like. The former Bear could use some time to fully learn the proper techniques of the position. Particularly when running blocking, he needs to do a better job of bending his knees. An MCL injury caused Smith to miss five games in his junior season and will be something teams will look at—making durability a slight concern.

Scouts Take: In a very stacked offensive tackle class, Smith has the best combination of athletic ability and upside. He is exactly the type of player that teams want to build a line around. Not many players’ draft stock have gone up as much as Smith’s since the start of the season. Once considered a mid-to-late first rounder, Smith has moved into the top four and could possibly be the number one overall pick on April 25th. After starting his college career at tight end, the Baylor product has made a nice transition to the O-Line but is still learning this. Because of this Smith has tremendous upside. It may not happen in his rookie campaign, but he should be able to play at a high level for years to come.

Photo Credit: College Press Box (Baylor)

On The Clock: No. 4 Seattle Seahawks

Record: 4-12, 3rd In the NFC North
General Manager: Tim Ruskell, Head Coach: Jim Mora (1st Year/2nd Year With Seattle), Offensive Coordinator: Greg Knapp (1st Year), Defensive Coordinator: Casey Bradley (1st Year)

Offense Rankings: No. 28 Overall, No. 25 Scoring, No. 29 Passing, No. 19 Rushing
Defense Rankings: No. 30 Overall, No. 25 Scoring, No. 32 Passing, No. 18 Rushing

Last Five Years: 21-59; Last Playoff Appearance: 2007; Last Playoff Victory: 2007 (35-14 Over the Washington Redskins)

2008 Draft: (1-28) DE Lawrence Jackson, (2-38) TE John Carlson, (4-121) DT Red Bryant, (5-163) FB Owen Schmitt, (6-189) LB Tyler Schmitt, (7-233) RB Justin Forsett, (7-235) K Brandon Coutu

Top Picks Last Five Years:
2008 – (1-28) DE Lawrence Jackson, USC
2007 – (2-55) CB Josh Wilson, Maryland
2006 – (1-31) CB Kelly Jennings, Miami
2005 – (1-26) C Chris Spencer, Ole Miss
2004 – (1-23) DT Marcus Tubbs, Texas

Booms: Lofa Tatupu (2nd Round) Leroy Hill (3rd Round 2005), Brandon Mebane (3rd Round 2007), John Carlson (2nd Round 2008),

Busts: Marcus Tubbs (1st Round 2004), Michael Boulware (2nd Round 2004), Chris Spencer (1st Round 2005), David Greene (3rd Round 2005), Kelly Jennings (1st Round 2006)

Additions:
DT Colin Cole (Free Agent)
WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh (Free Agent)
TE John Owens (Free Agent)

Subtractions:
DT Rocky Bernard (FA-New York/NFC)
RB Maurice Morris (FA-Detroit)

Keepers:
LB Leroy Hill (Franchised)
OT Ray Willis

2009 Picks:
Round 1, Selection 4
Round 2, Selection 5
Round 3, Selection 4
Round 4, Selection 5
Round 6, Selection 5
Round 7, Selection 4

Team Needs – Players of Interest (Day One):
1. Free Safety: Luis Delmus, Western Michigan
2. Offensive Tackle: Jason Smith, Baylor; Eugene Monroe, Virginia; Eben Britton, Arizona; William Beatty, UConn
3. Cornerback: Malcolm Jenkins, Ohio State; Jairus Byrd, Oregon; D.J. Moore, Vanderbilt; Darius Butler, UConn; Sean Smith, Utah
4. Quarterback: Matthew Stafford, Georgia; Mark Sanchez, USC; Josh Freeman, Kansas St.
5. Running Back: Andre Brown, North Carolina St.; Shonn Greene, Iowa
6. Defensive Tackle: B.J. Raji, Boston College; Ron Brace, Boston College; Jarron Gilbert, San Jose St.; Sen’Derrick Marks, Auburn
7. Wide Receiver: Michael Crabtree, Texas Tech; Darrius Hayward-Bey, Maryland; Kenny Britt, Rutgers; Brian Robiskie, Ohio St.; Hakeem Nicks, UNC

Photo Credit: College Press Box (Baylor, Notre Dame)

On The Clock: No. 3 Kansas City Chiefs

Record: 2-14, 4th In the AFC West
General Manager: Scott Pioli, Head Coach: Todd Haley (1st Year), Offensive Coordinator: Chan Gailey (2nd Year), Defensive Coordinator: Clancy Pendergast (1st Year)

Offense Rankings: No. 24 Overall, No. 26 Scoring, No. 20 Passing, No. 16 Rushing
Defense Rankings: No. 31 Overall, No. 29 Scoring, No. 28 Passing, No. 30 Rushing

Last Five Years: 32-48; Last Playoff Appearance: 2006; Last Playoff Victory: 1993 (28-20 Over the Houston Oliers)

2008 Draft: (1-5) DT Glenn Dorsey, (1-15) Brandon Albert, (2-35), CB Brandon Flowers, (3-73), RB Jamaal Charles, (3-76) TE Brad Cottam, (3-82) S DaJuan Morgan, (4-105) WR Will Franklin, (5-140) DB Brandon Carr, (6-170) OT Barry Richardson, (6-182) WR Kevin Robinson, (7-210) DE Brian Johnston, (7-239) TE Mike Merritt

Top Picks Last Five Years:
2008 – (1-5) DT Glenn Dorsey, LSU & (1-15) Brandon Albert, Virginia
2007 – (1-23) WR Dwayne Bowe, LSU
2006 – (1-20) DE Tamba Hali, Penn St.
2005 – (1-15) LB Derrick Johnson, Texas
2004 – (2-36) DT Junior Siavii, Oregon

Booms: Jared Allen (4th Round, 2004), Derrick Johnson (1st Round 2005), Dwayne Bowe (1st Round 2007)

Busts: Junior Saiavii (2nd Round 2004), Samie Parker (4th Round 2004), Craphonso Thorpe (4th Round 2005), Brodie Croyle (3rd Round 2006), Justin Medlock (5th Round 2007)

Additions:
QB Matt Cassel (Trade)
WR C.J. Jones (Free Agent)
LB Darrell Robertson (Free Agent)
LB Mike Vrabel (Trade)

Subtractions:
LB Donnie Edwards (Released)
QB Damon Huard (Released)
CB Patrick Surtain (Released)

Keepers:
S Jon McGraw

2009 Picks:
Round 1, Selection 3
Round 3, Selection 3
Round 4, Selection 2
Round 5, Selection 3
Round 6, Selection 2
Round 7, Selection 3

Team Needs – Players of Interest (Day One):
1. Linebackers: Aaron Curry, Wake Forest; Rey Maualuga, USC
2. Offensive Tackle: Jason Smith, Baylor; Eugene Monroe, Virginia
3. Guard: None
4. Wide Receivers: Michael Crabtree, Texas Tech
5. Running Back: None
6. Defensive End: Brian Orakpo, Texas; Everette Brown, FSU

Photo Credit: SEC Sports Media, Brian Westerholt of Sports on Film

On The Clock: No. 2 St. Louis Rams

Record: 2-14, 4th In the NFC West
General Manager: Billy Devaney, Head Coach: Steve Spagnuolo (1st Year), Offensive Coordinator: Pat Shurmur (1st Year), Defensive Coordinator: Ken Flajole (1st Year)

Offense Rankings: No. 27 Overall, No. 30 Scoring, No. 26 Passing, No. 25 Rushing
Defense Rankings: No. 28 Overall, No. 31 Scoring, No. 19 Passing, No. 29 Rushing

Last Five Years: 27-53; Last Playoff Appearance: 2004; Last Playoff Victory: 2004 (27-20 Over the Seattle Seahawks)

2008 Draft: (1-2) DE Chris Long, (2-33), WR Donnie Avery, (3-65), OT John Greco, (4-101) CB Justin King, (4-128) WR Keenan Burton, (5-157) OG Roy Schuening, (7-228) DB Chris Chamberlain, (7-252) David Vobora

Top Picks Last Five Years:
2008 – (1-2) DE Chris Long, Virginia
2007 – (1-13) DE Adam Carriker, Nebraska
2006 – (1-15) Tye Hill, Clemson
2005 – (1-19) OT Alex Barron, Florida St.
2004 – (1-24) RB Stephen Jackson, Oregon St.

Booms: RB Steven Jackson (1st Round 2004), S Oshiomogho "O.J." Atogwe (3rd Round 2005), C/G Richie Incognito (3rd Round 2005), Donnie Avery (2nd Round 2008)

Busts: Alex Barron (1st Round 2005), Tye Hill (1st Round 2006) Joe Klopfenstein (2nd Round 2006), Claude Wroten (3rd Round 2006), Jon Alston (3rd Round 2006), Dominique Byrd (3rd Round 2006)

Other Busts of Note: S Adam Archuleta (1st Round 2001), QB/WR Eric Crouch (3rd Round 2002), Jimmy Kennedy (1st Round 2003)

Additions:
C Jason Brown (Free Agent)

Subtractions:
S Corey Chavous (Released)
QB Trent Green (Released)
WR Drew Bennett (Released)

Keepers:
CB Ron Bartell
S Oshiomogho Atogwe (Franchised)

2009 Picks:
Round 1, Selection 2
Round 2, Selection 3
Round 3, Selection 2
Round 4, Selection 3
Round 5, Selection 2
Round 6, Selection 3
Round 7, Selection 2

Team Needs – Players of Interest:
1. Offensive Tackle: Jason Smith, Baylor; Eugene Monroe, Virginia; Eben Britton, Arizona; Jamon Meredith, South Carolina; William Beatty, UConn
2. Defensive Tackle: B,J. Raji, Boston College; Jarron Gilbert, San Jose St.; Sen’Derrick Marks, Auburn
3. Cornerback: Malcolm Jenkins, Ohio State; Jairus Byrd, Oregon; D.J. Moore, Vanderbilt; Darius Butler, UConn; Sean Smith, Utah
4. Wide Receivers: Michael Crabtree, Texas Tech; Darrius Heyward-Bey, Maryland; Kenny Britt, Rutgers; Hakeem Nicks, UNC; Brian Robiskie, OSU
5. Linebackers: Aaron Curry, Wake Forest; James Laurinaitis, Ohio State; Marcus Freeman, Ohio St.

Photo Credit: College Press Box (Virginia)

Combine Results:3-Cone Drill - OL

1. Lydon Murtha, Nebraska, OT – 7.06
2. Xavier Fulton, Illinois, OT - 7.35
3. Max Unger, Oregon, C - 7.39
4. Jon Cooper, Oklahoma, C - 7.46
A.Q. Shipley, Penn St., C - 7.46
6. Jason Smith, Baylor, OT - 7.53
7. Joel Bell, Furman, OT - 7.55
8. Eric Wood, Louisville, C - 7.56
9. Seth Olsen, Iowa, OG - 7.59
10. William Beatty, UConn, OT - 7.62