| 1. |
San Francisco |
QB Alex Smith, Utah
 |
Smith is apparently
the pick. All they have to do is sign him. |
|
| 2. |
Miami |
RB Ronnie Brown, Auburn
 |
Saban can do worse with this
pick's value and need. He can't do any better though. |
| 3. |
Cleveland |
WR Braylon Edwards, Michigan
 |
To get the best player in the
draft with the third pick is great value. Very likely that
someone will trade into the second spot to steal Edwards.
|
| 4. |
Chicago |
RB Cedric Benson, Texas
|
Derrick Johnson
makes a lot of sense here, but Benson would give the echelon
of power running game to control defenses. Thomas Jones is
more of a slasher than a thumper, a dynamic that Benson provides
well. |
| 5. |
Tampa Bay |
WR Mike Williams, USC
|
Carnell Williams
and Mike Williams make a lot of sense here. Here's thinking
that between Williams and Clayton, Gruden solidifies his downfield
passing game for years to come. |
| 6. |
Tennessee |
CB Adam Jones, West Virginia
|
If you play the
twice Colts every year, you have to have cornerbacks. Then
again, taking Carnell Williams would be a good idea to help
keep the offense on the field. |
| 7. |
Minnesota (from Oakland) |
WR Troy Williamson, South Carolina
|
Don't think speed
alone can propel a player into the top 10? Williamson is far
from a polished product but has the kind of elite speed that
Minnesota gave up in part to get this draft pick. |
| 8. |
Arizona |
QB Aaron Rodgers, Cal
|
What does Kurt Warner
have to do to get a fair shake at keeping a starting job?
Short of selling his soul to some mephistophelean entity,
Warner's time as the Cardinals' starting QB can now be termed
"limited." |
| 9. |
Washington |
CB Carlos Rogers, Auburn
|
The Redskins, of
all people, probably won't be going back to Miami for another
defensive back any time soon. Rogers may be better than Antrel
Rolle anyway. |
| 10. |
Detroit |
CB Antrel Rolle, Miami
|
Lions have needed
a legit star cornerback for years. They manage to finally
grab one... right after Randy Moss leaves. Classic. |
| 11. |
Dallas |
LB Derrick Johnson, Texas
|
Can't ask for much
more than the top linebacker in the draft here. |
| 12. |
San Diego (from NY Giants) |
T Alex Barron, Florida State
|
Chargers got by
with a makeshift offensive line. |
| 13. |
Houston |
RB Carnell Williams, Auburn
|
Williams can't possibly
fall any lower, and Houston adds a stable force to their unstable
runningback situation. Should be a great 1-2 punch with shifty
Domanick Davis, not his replacement. |
| 14. |
Carolina |
LB Shawne Merriman, Maryland
|
Their main targets
off the board, the Panthers could take a tackle, or go for
Merriman, who can challenge Brandon Short right away at SLB. |
| 15. |
Kansas City |
LB Demarcus Ware, Troy
|
Can spell Eric Hicks
on passing downs, at the very least. Also, gives the Chiefs
Shawn Barber insurance in case his knee injury doesn't return
him to full speed. |
| 16. |
New Orleans |
DL Marcus Spears, LSU
|
According to NOPF's
Saints Draft Board, Spears is the highest rated
player and thus, our pick. T Jammal Brown would be next up. |
| 17. |
Cincinnati |
DE David Pollack, Georgia
|
Bengals add a pass
rush threat. |
| 18. |
Minnesota |
DE Erasmus James, Wisconsin
|
Having already grabbed
a good WR, the Vikings also add a pass rush threat, one of
the few missing cogs on their defense. |
| 19. |
St. Louis |
T Jammal Brown, Oklahoma
|
The rotating door
for the Rams at right tackle... sealed shut? |
| 20. |
Dallas (from Buffalo) |
WR Roddy White, UAB
|
White over Clayton
here because White has the kind of speed the Cowboys want.
Clayton is a slower, but only by a fraction. |
| 21. |
Jacksonville |
S Thomas Davis, Georgia
|
Donovin Darius is
becoming a nuisance and is taking up a lot of cap room. Now
the Jaguars finally have some leverage. Davis is good value
here. |
| 22. |
Baltimore |
DT Travis Johnson, Florida State
|
If the Ravens want
to do this 4-3 thing, they need some help at DT. |
| 23. |
Seattle |
DE Dan Cody, Oklahoma
|
A bit undersized,
but cut from the same block as Grant Wistrom. |
| 24. |
Green Bay |
T Khalif Barnes, Washington
|
Packers need safety
help in the worst way but aren't going to reach badly for
somebody here. Meanwhile, they've got to patch the bloodletting
on the offensive line. Barnes is great value here. |
| 25. |
Washington (from Denver) |
WR Reggie Brown, Georgia
|
With Rod Gardner
in the doghouse and smurf Santana Moss as their starters,
Redskins need to add another receiver. I suppose that's why
they moved up. Doubt they'd go for Clayton here, if/when Gardner
leaves, they need another receive with speed. |
| 26. |
Oakland (from N.Y. Jets) |
CB Marlin Jackson, Michigan
|
Oakland's back in
the first round. Without a linebacker with value here, they
go for an immediate replacement for their cornerback exodus. |
| 27. |
Atlanta |
DT Shaun Cody, USC
|
Great value for
a big man here. Falcons were thin at d-line last year. Could
also go for a linebacker. |
| 28. |
San Diego |
WR Mark Clayton, Oklahoma
|
Clayton is great
value here and a refined producer on the field. |
| 29. |
Indianapolis |
LB Kevin Burnett, Tennessee
|
Colts reach for
Burnett but its a wise decision. Speedy linebacker was made
for the Colts' cover 2 defense. |
| 30. |
Pittsburgh |
CB Fabian Washington, Nebraska
 |
Super-speedy Washington
gives Steelers much-needed injection of deep coverage. |
| 31. |
Philadelphia |
DT Luis Castillo, Northwestern
|
Forget about the
steroids. A lesson learned. At least he learned it before
he entered the NFL and got himself suspended. Castillo was
and still is a fast-rising run stopper and is the best two-gap
tackle available. |
| 32. |
New England |
LB Barrett Ruud, Nebraska
|
Ultra-productive
and intelligent. Great fit for Ruud and the Patriots. |
As always keep here at NOPF for the latest.
