Live Draft Blog (Day 1)

Okay, so I will be live blogging for at least the first two rounds. I will report every pick and make comments on the ones that provoke enough though from me to do so… after today’s rounds wrap up I will create a post that addresses how the draft has effected the players and teams we like. So I will put up who the Colts and Rams pick as well as where players from Tennessee and Missouri go.

FIRST ROUND:

1. MIA- Jake Long, OT, Michigan – We’ve known this pick for a few days now, so it’s obviously not a surprise. I know Bryan wanted him in St Louis, but I think he’s already come to terms with it.

2. STL- Chris Long, DE, Virginia – I personally think that Glenn Dorsey would have been a much smarter pick here, but I’m also not surprised by it, but I know Bryan’s not happy… though I just received a text message from him saying that he now like Chris Long; I’m guessing this is because he’ll like any player that the Rams select… unless it’s Aqib Talib.

3. ATL- Matt Ryan, QB, Boston College – Well, there goes my mock draft… I knew this would be an interesting pick whichever way it went. I think that Glenn Dorsey would have had more of an immediate impact, but Matt Ryan is by no means a surprising decision. The concern that I have for him is that he doesn’t have great protection nor a lot of weapons to throw to.

4. OAK- Darren McFadden, RB, Arkansas – Well he should be starting immediately for this team, and it looks like the Raiders could be dangerous next year. They made a lot of moves in free agency, and they may have over-payed to fill their needs, but the point is that they did filled a lot of needs on both sides of the ball, most noticeably safety, Gibril Wilson, wide receiver, Javon Walker, and defensive end, Kalimba Edwards… plus Jamarcus Russell has to be all sorts of excited.

5. KC- Glenn Dorsey, DT, LSU – I’m not surprised with this pick, but I am surprised they didn’t trade down to a team that wanted Dorsey more than they did, so that they could trade down to a sport and still get Ryan Clady or Branden Albert. But Dorsey will make an immediate impact on for this D-line, and will have the opportunity to sack, former LSU teammate and now division rival, Jamarcus Russell.

6. NYJ- Vernon Gholston, DE, Ohio St – I would have been surprised if they didn’t take Vernon Gholston here. They really wanted Glenn Dorsey or Darren McFadden, but weren’t quite that lucky. Being in the AFC East, they really needed a good pass rusher to get pressure on tom brady.

7. NO- Sedrick Ellis, DT, USC – I think this was a good idea for them to trade up and grab him, because I highly doubt that he would have fallen to them at pick 10.

8. JAX- Derrick Harvey, DE, florida – The Ravens REALLY wanted Matt Ryan to fall this far and when he didn’t they traded down to the Jaguars. I hate florida, and the Jags are a division rival of the Colts, so this works out just fine for me… I really hope this guy is a bust for a lot of reasons.

9. CIN- Keith Rivers, LB, USC – This had to be Keith Rivers. If it wasn’t then that would have been a huge mistake. They really need linebackers, so this really wasn’t a question in my mind.

10. NE- Jerod Mayo, LB, Tennessee – NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! I hate the *patriots! I HATE them! Why didn’t they take a corner, like Cromartie?

11. BUF- Leodis McKelvin, CB, Troy – I’m shocked. I really thought that they would take Devin Thomas, because they have such a great need at wide receiver… but I guess they needed more corners to help against the firepower of the patriots and he may be able to help them in that area.

12. DEN- Ryan Clady, OT, Boise St – From a Boise St Bronco to a Denver Bronco. This should be a good fit.

13. CAR- Jonathan Stewart, RB, Oregon – I’m surprised that they didn’t take a lineman, but this will give them a good tandem at the running back position. He needs to improve his blocking and receiving skills but the Panthers like to run the ball, so he should be a good fit here.

14. CHI- Chris Williams, OT, Vanderbilt – Wow… I was thinking Branden Albert if they went with an o-line pick, or Rashard Mendenhall because they struggle in the running game. But Chris Williams isn’t a bad pick, it’s just not what I expected or what I would have done.

15. KC- Branden Albert, OG, Virginia – The Chiefs are trading like crazy. I’m surprised that the Lions didn’t grab Mendenhall here, but I guess they think they can grab him at 17 instead. We’ll find out if this trade was worth it after we see who Arizona takes and what Detroit got in return from Kansas City.

16. ARI- Dominique Rogers-Cromartie, CB, Tennessee St – We’ll see how he does at the next level. He’s a good athlete, but playing at that small of a school won’t give him the kind of experience that would help him be better prepared for the NFL, but plenty of great players have come from small schools, so time will tell.

17. DET- Gosder Cherilus, OT, Boston College – Rashard Mendenhall? They need a running back… I don’t get this pick.

18. BAL- Joe Flacco, QB, Delaware – This is a good move by the Ravens. They obviously need a QB, and Flacco grew up just a couple hours from Baltimore, so he is already a hometown hero, if you will. He’s tall, so he can see over the line, and he’s also athletic and can be mobile in and out of the pocket. We’ll see how he does in the NFL.

19. CAR – Jeff Otah, OT, Pittsburgh – When Carolina jumped back into the first round this was who I thought they wanted. The fans clearly weren’t happy about it, and I’m not sure the move was worth it but I haven’t seen what they had to give up yet… I just found out that the Panthers gave up their second and fourth round picks from this year and their first round pick for the 2009 draft… verdict: not worth it.

20. TB- Aqib Talib, CB, Kansas – I really thought Talib would fall to the Steelers. I also thought that the Buccs would take Phillip Merling and that if they went with CB they would take Mike Jenkins, but I guess there have been bigger surprises in the history of the world… I’m sure Julius Caesar was more surprised when he found out Brutus was a conspirator… I’m kidding, it wasn’t that bad of a pick, but I am quite shocked.

21. ATL- Sam Baker, OT, USC – I know Bryan wanted Baker to fall to the Rams in the second round and I’m surprised that the Falcons moved up for him, but he had some injuries this year, so if he can be healthy then this could be a good value at this pick, again, only time will tell. I’m curious as to what they gave up for this.

22. DAL- Felix Jones, RB, Arkansas – With both Mendenhall and Jones available, I was sure that the Cowboys would address their need at CB first and then select whichever of the two were available with their pick at 28. I don’t think this was a smart pick. He’s a great kick returner and is a great running back but I don’t think it was the smartest pick here. This will give them an amazing tandem in the back field, but I think they could have had the exact same tandem if they would have waited 6 more picks before taking Felix.

23. PIT- Rashard Mendenhall, RB, Illinois – Wow, I thought they would address some of their holes on defense, but they may want to go to the two back system with him and Willie Parker. That does seem to be a hot trend in the NFL, to have a tandem in the backfield instead of a back to carry the load all by himself. Mendenhall will compliment Parker nicely, and it’s a great value to get him this late. I just didn’t see that coming.

24. TEN- Chris Johnson, RB, East Carolina – I am absolutely baffled. They are in desperate need of a WR so that Vince Young can have some weapons to work with. Chris Johnson is the fastest player in the draft, running the 40-yard-dash at 4.24, which is blazing speed, and he’s a great receiving back, so maybe it will work out. They could use him similar to the way the Falcons used Warrick Dunn with Michael Vick.

25. DAL- Mike Jenkins, CB, South Florida – I’m not surprised that the Cowboys jumped up to get Jenkins. They need a CB, and they wanted Aqib Talib, and so with so many corners gone, I could see why they felt the need to jump up for this. Expect them to take a WR with their next pick.

26. HOU- Duane Brown, OT, Virginia Tech – Not what I would have expected. I don’t think this was a smart pick, nor did they get good value out of it, in my opinion.

27. SD- Antoine Cason, CB, Arizona – This could be a good pick. It gives them depth and he’ll be a good third CB. They don’t have another pick until the 5th round so for their sake, I hope they think this was worth it.

28. SEA- Lawrence Jackons, DE, USC – I thought they would take Kentwan Balmer, the DT, but it was still defensive line. I personally think that the Seahawks are consistently overrated, so I don’t have much of an opinion about this pick.

29. SF- Kentwan Balmer, DT, North Carolina – He’s a big guy, that will fit well as the nose tackle in a 3-4, so if the 49ers play a 3-4 this year then I think this is a good pick. I’m surprised that Phillip Merling is still on the board, and thought the 9ers would jump on that, but clearly I was wrong.

30. NYJ- Dustin Keller, TE, Purdue – This is a good pick. Dustin Keller is an absolute stud when it comes to tight ends, he’s not much of a blocker, but is compared to Dallas Clark as a receiving tight end. He should help the Jets out a lot. He ran a 4.55 in the 40, had 26 reps on the bench press, and has a 38 inch vertical jump.

XX. NE- Pick Forfeited

31. NYG- Kenny Phillips, FS, Miami – This is a good pick and also made the fans very happy. They clearly made this pick hoping that he will be able to replace Gibril Wilson. I don’t think he’s that good, but he’s still their best bet.

Second Round:

32. MIA- Phillip Merling, DE, Clemson – Merling could have easily been a first round pick. He’s a good all around player and should help the Dolphins out quite a bit, especially if Jason Taylor decides he wants out.

33. STL- Donnie Avery, WR, Houston – Bryan is NOT happy. I’m not surprised they took a WR, but this is not who I would have thought.

34. WAS- Devin Thomas, WR, Michigan St – This is who I thought the Rams should have taken. This is a great grab for the Redskins however, getting a ton of value out of this pick and who, in my opinion, is the best wide receiver in the draft. With 4.4 speed and a 10′6 broad jump, this guy is an athlete and will be a huge weapon for the ‘Skins. Strong receiver and will break through arm tackles, and most importantly he has GREAT hands.

35. KC- Brandon Flowers, CB, Virginia Tech – The Chiefs definitely have had the best draft so far. The have Glenn Dorsey, Branden Albert and Brandon Flowers. Maybe the Jared Allen trade wasn’t such a bad idea after all… if they can keep this young group of players together then they could have a really good team after they’ve gained some experience.

36. GB- Jordy Nelson, WR, Kansas St – This is an interesting pick, but Jordy Nelson is good. He is also quite the kick returner. This should help make Aaron Rogers’ transition to being the starter a little bit easier. This will give him one more weapon, and will help get him better field position with almost every possession. But this is not the order that I expected the wide receivers to be taken in.

37. ATL- Curtis Lofton, ILB, Oklahoma – He is a tenacious linebacker, and could really help the Falcons rebuild.

38. SEA- John Carlson, TE, Notre Dame – I think Carlson is slightly overrated, but the Seahawks need a tight end, especially with the offense they run. Again, Seattle isn’t a team that means a whole lot to me.

39. SF- Chilo Rachal, OG, USC – Can play both OT and OG, not very durable, but is still a good pick here.

40. NO- Tracy Porter, CB, Indiana – Great cover corner, he’s kind of short, but can jump so he makes up for it. He’s not very physical so he’ll have trouble defending wide receivers that are physical. He’s also a returner, so him and Reggie Bush will be able to be their two kick returners.

41. BUF- James Hardy, WR, Indiana – It’s always good to have another weapon and this could provide matchup problems for a weak new england secondary. He’s a big receiver who can jump too. He had 36 career TDs. He also has good speed, running a 4.45 at the combine in the 40, which is awesome speed for a guy that big.

42. DEN- Eddie Royal, WR, Virginia Tech – Has a huge vertical, and can return kicks as well. Should be a good weapon for the Broncos.

43. MIN- Tyrell Johnson, SS, Arkansas St – Holds the conference record for most tackles, and steps up in big games. Good pick for the Vikings, and should strengthen that defensive secondary that needs help.

44. CHI- Matt Forte, RB, Tulane – I’m just glad it wasn’t Jamaal Charles, who I want to drop to the Colts.

45. DET- Jordon Dizon, OLB, Colorado – This should help out a defense that needs it. I think they were one of the worst defenses in the league last year.

46. CIN- Jerome Simpson, WR, Coastal Carolina – Another receiver taken before DeSean Jackson and Limas Sweed. But the Bengals could need another wide receiver if Chad Johnson really does refuse to play. Either way this guy is a GREAT athlete. Also has great character, which is something the Bengals clearly need.

47. PHI- Trevor Laws, DT, Notre Dame – Probably Notre Dame’s best player. He can play both DT and DE and is athletic. Never gives up on a play and plays hard for 60 minutes.

48. WAS- Fred Davis, TE, USC – Was USC’s main threat in the passing game. Providing a lot of weapons for their quarterback. Davis is very athletic for a tight ends with good quickness and speed. He’s a reliable receiver with good ball skills, long arms, and big hands.

49. PHI- DeSean Jackson, WR, California – FAST! Great return man, so the Eagles take out two birds with one stone here. Great agility as well.

50. ARI- Calais Campbell, DE, Miami – It’s about time somebody drafted him. If he hadn’t been taken by Arizona here, then I’m sure the Redskins would have taken him next. He could easily be a DT or a DE. Has ludicrously long arms and is tall. Great value at this pick.

51. WAS- Malcolm Kelly, WR, Oklahoma – Another weapon for the Redskins. GREAT hands. Very agile, and a great value at this pick. He’s big and strong but with a good balance of athleticism. Catches the ball and secures it in traffic. Wins jump balls and is great in the red zone… The Redskins are making Jason Campbell happy, that’s for sure.

52. JAX- Quentin Groves, DE, Auburn – The Jaguars take another DE after taking Derrick Harvey at #8 overall. Both are from the SEC and could be dangerous coming off the ends.

53. PIT- Limas Sweed, WR, Texas – Big receiver. Should work well with Ben Roethlisberger. Pittsburgh taking skill position guys after taking Rashard Mendenhall in the first round. This should really help their offense.

54. TEN- Jason Jones, DE, E Michigan – Might have been a reach, but with Limas Sweed taken the pick before they decided to go with somebody who could get pressure on opposing quarterbacks… I have a feeling that this draft is not going the way that the Titans had hoped. They still desperately need a wide receiver.

55. BAL- Ray Rice, RB, Rutgers – A back up to Willis McGahee, or this in one more team switching to the two-back system. A good running back, but once again, I’m just glad it wasn’t Jamaal Charles. Great pick. Strong RB,

56. GB- Brian Brohm, QB, Louisville – This is an interesting pick. They’re either brining him in to back up Aaron Rogers or to provide competition for Aaron Rogers, or probably both. He definitely fits well in Green Bay’s offense as well, but durability is a question mark.

57. MIA- Chad Henne, QB, Michigan – Tough guy for a quarterback. Good arm strength, but not mobile, and not super accurate.

58. TB- Dexter Jackson, WR, Appalacian St -

59. IND- Mike Pollak, C, Arizona St – I don’t really know what to think about this pick. We definitely need more depth at the o-line, but I really didn’t think that we would take a center this early. We need a OG, and OT more plus both Jamaal Charles, RB and Jeremy Thompson, DE were still available. I know Jeff Saturday is getting old, but I’m just not sure about this. I suppose they’ll use him as an offensive guard, which is definitely a need, but I’m still surprised.

60. GB- Patrick Lee, CB, Auburn – Has good size and can also help in the return game.

61. DAL- Martellus Bennett, TE, Texas A&M – Big TE, good blocker, but doesn’t play as fast as you would think based on his times.

62. NE- Terrence Wheatley, CB, Colorado – Trying to get younger on defense, but I don’t think this will make the difference that they’re looking for.

63. NYG- Terrell Thomas, CB, USC – Physical, like to play bump and run. Second defensive back taken by the Giants after taking Kenny Phillips in the first round.