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NFL Mock Draft 2009 Draft of 2009 Lacks Star Power NFL Draft 2009: Getting Started Super Bowl Well Worth Tuning In For
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Prospects On Center Stage NBA Preview 2008/09: Final Call
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Top Prospects 2009: Week 10 By Ron Jumper For this week, I decided I would mix it up again. I’m putting the player comparisons on pause for a week to give a brief look at what the draft would be like if it happened today since we have the midway point of the NFL season. I took the worst ten teams by record, examined their individual needs, and created my first mock draft for the 2009 NFL Draft, even if it is just the first ten picks (don't worry, I'll give an entire mock as the draft gets closer). This could end up being a strange draft, as the positional needs from the top few picks don’t fit well with the projected top prospects. Also, there are so many elite juniors or redshirt sophomores this season that could go all throughout the first round. I expect most of them to come out because this is one of the weaker senior classes in some time. It all leads to an awful lot of variability, making this one of the more intriguing drafts to follow. **This mock is what I would do if I were the GM, not who I am projecting them to actually pick. 1. Detroit Lions: OT Michael Oher, Ole Miss The Lions should take a page out of the Dolphins playbook and go with a can’t miss offensive lineman, instead of reaching for a QB. Oher is a very athletic and talented offensive lineman that will likely be the anchor of this unit for the next decade. However, they also could really use a franchise QB. The problem for me is that there just isn’t one that can be justifiably taken with the first pick. Some are saying Mathew Stafford or maybe Sam Bradford, but I am just not convinced they are that type of quarterback, especially after watching Matt Ryan closely all of last season. The Lions will probably not want to take the safe route but, for once, they might not have much of a choice. 2. Cincinnati Bengals: DE George Selvie, South Florida The Bengals need an explosive pass rusher on that defensive line. The offense, when healthy, can still put up points so addressing this defense is the way to go. Last season, they took Keith Rivers at LB and that has worked out all right for them. They need to keep adding an influx of speed and talent on that defense to get this team going in the right direction. Selvie is a freak athletic specimen that will become an elite pass-rusher in time. 3. Kansas City Chiefs: WR Michael Crabtree, Texas Tech Like the Lions, they could really use a QB. However, they could also really use a big time playmaker on the outside like Crabtree. I want to retract my Reggie Wayne comparison, as that doesn’t quite do justice. I’m thinking I should have said Andre Johnson which, by the looks of the Chiefs offense, he could be the new Andre Johnson. If Johnson played on the Cowboys instead of the Texans, he would be widely regarded as 1a and 1b for best receiver in the NFL with Randy Moss. While that is high praise for Johnson, it is equally so for Crabtree because I think he could truly be special someday. Take him KC and don’t look back. 4. San Francisco 49ers: OT Eugene Monroe, Virginia Crabtree would have been ideal here, but the 49ers are one pick too late. In the meantime, I decided against reaching for Stafford and taking Monroe. This is a very good LT and he will help solidify that o-line. O’Sullivan has had to run for his life at times, and this should help fix that. 5. Seattle Seahawks: DE Brian Orakpo, Texas The hardest pick to make so far, would be better served trading down. They could go offensive line but Duke Robinson or Jason Smith would be a reach here. Orakpo has been superb for the Longhorns and will do very well at the combine. The Seahawks are pretty set in the back seven, so adding a great pass rusher in a divison against the pass-happy 49ers, Rams, and Cardinals makes sense right? 6. St. Louis Rams: LB James Laurinaitis, Ohio State The Rams are trying to set the record for most consecutive first round picks spent on white guys. No seriously, this is a can’t miss LB prospect and he will be a Pro Bowler sooner rather than later. 7. Oakland Raiders: LB Aaron Curry, Wake Forest I hate to do this to Curry because he has emerged as one of my favorite prospects in the draft. None the less, the Raiders can’t take any more high priced skill position players. They need to have a rock solid defense to go along with that rushing attack. Curry will be a guy that can step in and play from the start. 8. Houston Texans: OT Andre Smith, Alabama The Texans have had good luck with Bama players before (DeMeco Ryans), so why not try again? Smith has emerged as a top notch prospect and would help solidify a so-so Texan o-line. Quietly, the Texans are building a pretty solid team through the draft, especially in the front seven. Maybe they know what they are doing after all… 9. Jacksonville Jaguars: DT B. J. Raji, Boston College Raji missed last season due to injury so he fell off the map a little bit, none the less Raji is a 325-pound wrecking ball. The Jaguars are in no man’s land here, as all their needs (OL, WR, DT) would be a reach. Trading down might be the best way to go. None the less, the Jaguars really need a big time DT to anchor the defense. They haven’t been the same without Marcus Stroud. Raji can step in and plug the middle with John Henderson then things will get back to normal on that side of the ball. 10. Cleveland Browns: CB Malcolm Jenkins, Ohio State This pick makes sense all around. The Browns could use an elite CB and, to top it off, Jenkins is from right around the corner at nearby Columbus. While the offense has sputtered, they already have a lot of money tied up in Derek Anderson, Brady Quinn, Jamal Lewis, Braylon Edwards, Kellen Winslow, and Joe Thomas. It is time to invest a little more in the defense. November 4, 2008 |
| NCAA Football | |
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Be Careful What You Wish For
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| NCAA Basketball | |
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Jumpology: My Bracket Jumpology: Scouting The Heavyweights Jumpology: Reviewing The Bracket
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