2009 NFL Mock Draft

1. Detroit Lions - Matthew Stafford, QB, Georgia ~The debate is raging on what philosophy the Lions should use in this position. The Lions have a number of options at this spot: take a franchise QB, choose from its pick of the strong offensive tackle class, or take the best player defensive player available. Remember: the Lions have only used one first-round pick on a defensive player since 1999. If the Lions opt not to go with Stafford (or perhaps USC QB Mark Sanchez), they could go with a top-flight offensive tackle, possibly Alabama OT Andre Smith or Virginia OT Eugene Monroe or Ole Miss OT Michael Oher. Certainly there are plenty of great players at offensive tackle to choose from at this spot, and emulating the Dolphins (who went from 1-15 in 2007 to 11-5 in 2008) by taking an offensive tackle at the top spot in the draft might be a wise move. OLB Aaron Curry may also be a consideration, but with OLB Ernie Sims under contract for two more years, Detroit will likely not go with an outside linebacker at the top spot. The Lions have two picks in the first round of the 2009 Draft thanks to the Roy Williams trade, and there will be quality defensive players from whom they can choose later on in round one. Factor into that the team's pick at the top of round two, and there will be other chances for the Lions to rebuild its defense. 2. St. Louis Rams - Jason Smith, OT, BaylorThis is a deep draft at offensive tackle, and the Rams could be in position to have their pick of the litter. Mel Kiper was ahead of the curve in predicting Jason Smith as a high pick, and he very well could end up going to the Rams at this spot. Smith bench-pressed 225 pounds 33 times at the combine, and he may have separated himself from the rest of the very strong offensive tackle pack with that performance. Future hall of fame offensive tackle Orlando Pace is under contract with the Rams through 2011, but his base salary is steep: $5.975 million in 2009, $7.175 million in 2010, and $8.375 million in 2011. Pace is 33, and while he is a talented player, his presence on the roster is not necessarily an indication that the Rams would pass on an offensive tackle with a high first round pick. Adding Smith, along with the signing of free agent center Jason Brown (from Baltimore), would provide an instant improvement to the Rams' offensive line. 3. Kansas City Chiefs - Eugene Monroe, OT, VirginiaSo much for Kansas City taking Mark Sanchez here. With the Chiefs having traded for Patriots QB Matt Cassel, the Chiefs will likely either take OLB Aaron Curry or go for an offensive lineman. At 6'5" 315, Monroe has great size and is known for blocking multiple defenders on the same play. His stock is on the rise despite the stiff competition in the offensive tackle category, and while he hasn't received the attention of some of the other top tier talent, Monroe has the skills to be a strong NFL talent for many years. 4. Seattle Seahawks - Michael Crabtree, WR, Texas Tech ~Michael Crabtree is considered by most experts to be the top wide receiver prospect in the draft -- and he left school as just a redshirt sophomore. Certainly his performance on national TV in hauling in the game-winning TD catch for the Red Raiders in their win over Texas brought him plenty of attention, but Crabtree is an overall solid player who is quite possibly the best sophomore-eligible NFL wide receiver prospect to come along since Larry Fitzgerald in 2004. Some consider Crabtree to be the best overall prospect in the draft, and he would be an ideal fit in Seattle. Crabtree requires surgery on the stress fracture in his left foot, and after indicating initially that he would wait for his pro day to run, he has now decided to have surgery now and not run the 40. In my estimation, Crabtree has already shown enough talent and brilliance to where I see him going to Seattle at this spot. Before the combine, Crabtree going to Seattle looked like the safest bet in the draft as far as an accurate projection goes. Now? Not quite as much, but still Crabtree is very talented and Seattle will likely be hard pressed to pass on him at this spot. 5. Cleveland Browns - Aaron Curry, OLB, Wake ForestCurry has managed to work his way to the top of most defensive prospect lists, and it would be no surprise for him to be a top five pick in the draft. He played his way into this spot with an outstanding 2008 senior season. At 6'2" 245 pounds, Curry runs a 4.6 40 and has an incredible knack for finding the ball. Seeing Curry in a 3-4 defense would be interesting, but he is such a strong prospect that he would project highly in *any* defensive scheme. It's also possible that the Browns might consider Ohio State CB Malcolm Jenkins at this spot. 6. Cincinnati Bengals - Andre Smith, OT, AlabamaI still think Andre Smith is the best long-term offensive tackle prospect in the bunch. But, with Smith opting not to work out at the combine and there being some confusion on his plans, there are questions still swirling around him. But, with a good pro day, Smith could find himself back in the top ten mix, potentially ending up in Cincinnati. Consider this: in 2008, the Bengals were #30 in passing offense and #29 in rushing offense. To be fair, the injury of QB Carson Palmer contributed to this, but so did the departure of offensive tackle Willie Anderson to Baltimore in the last off-season. And, with the Bengals losing OT Stacy Andrews to free agency, adding an elite offensive tackle would seem to be a top priority for the Bengals. 7. Oakland Raiders - Jeremy Maclin, WR, Missouri ~While still very raw as a wide receiver, Maclin brings a big play kick return ability that would allow him to immediately impact special teams in a positive way. The Raiders could use youthful talent at wide receiver, and with Maclin's lightning speed he would seem like an appealing choice for Raiders owner Al Davis. His superb kick return skills give Maclin an extra edge over the rest of the wide receiver prospects. 8. Jacksonville Jaguars - Rey Maualuga, ILB, USCA playmaker who can cover sideline-to-sideline, Maualuga would be a great addition to any NFL team. A playmaker who can cover sideline-to-sideline, Maualuga would be a great addition to any NFL team, and he has the leadership skills to provide a strong shot in the arm for Jacksonville's defense. 9. Green Bay Packers - Malcolm Jenkins, CB, Ohio StateConsider this: Charles Woodson is 32 and Al Harris (who suffered a ruptured spleen earlier this year) is 34. The Packers need youth at corner in a major way. Jenkins might have been a top 15 pick had he come out last year, but with another year of seasoning on the college level he looks like the clear top cornerback prospect, and a likely top ten selection. 10. San Francisco 49ers - Mark Sanchez, QB, USC ~Alex Smith hasn't been the answer for the 49ers, and Sanchez has emerged as the second-ranked QB prospect besides Matthew Stafford. For the 49ers to return to greatness, they will likely need to find a top-flight signal caller to lead the offense. And, unless they somehow manage to sign QB Kurt Warner (who is likely simply using the 49ers for leverage in negotiations with Arizona), taking Sanchez at this spot makes a great deal of sense. 11. Buffalo Bills - B.J. Raji, DT, Boston CollegePeria Jerry is tempting as a pass rushing threat from the DT position, but Raji, at 6'1" 325, has the bulk to fill the middle arguably better than Perry would. Moreover, Raji had an outstanding Senior Bowl week, to the point where he might end up as a top ten selection. 12. Denver Broncos - Brian Orakpo, DE, TexasOrakpo is a talented defensive end who could be a wonderful addition to the Broncos. Denver is shifting to a 3-4 defense for 2009, and Orakpo at 6'3" 265 pounds should be able to handle being a 3-4 DE. 13. Washington Redskins - Michael Oher, OT, Ole MissOher is an outstanding pass blocker, and despite a difficult past he turned into one of the nation's best college offensive linemen. Oher didn't have a great combine, but he is a freakishly talented player who, with the right coaching, could turn into an All-Pro. 14. New Orleans Saints - Brian Cushing, OLB, USCThe Saints held true to what was expected and signed free agent MLB Jonathan Vilma to a new contract. Vilma, who excels as a 4-3 MLB, had a tremendous 2008 season for New Orleans. Without a second or third round pick in 2009, the Saints need to make a strong pick here, and Cushing would be a great addition to the team. He has great size, speed, and has shown poise and skill in big games. The Saints could use a high-end center, and this draft has a couple of them -- but taking one at this spot would be a major stretch. Trading down might be a good idea if that is the objective of the Saints, as they could potentially obtain a second or third round selection as a result. 15. Houston Texans - Everette Brown, DE, Florida State ~Brown had 13.5 sacks this past season for the Seminoles, and he would be an interesting addition to the Raiders. At 6'4" 250, Brown has great size, and his 4.65 speed presents a great combination for him coming off of the end position. The Texans have a great defensive end with Mario Williams, but they could use a player like Brown to bring pressure from the left defensive end position. It's possible that the Texans could draft Brown with the idea of converting him into an OLB, but a player like Penn State OLB/DE Aaron Maybin would likely be a better choice for such a move. 16. San Diego Chargers - Chris "Beanie" Wells, RB, Ohio State ~LaDainian Tomlinson turns 30 later this year, and while he has had a tremendous career, there are widespread rumors that the Chargers are pondering cutting LT. San Diego used its franchise tag on RB Darren Sproles, but that could simple allow the Chargers to have security to go with a rookie running back if the plan really is to take a RB in this position. Note that there have been recent whispers that the Chargers are looking to keep Tomlinson with a reduced salary for 2009. If that happens, I wouldn't expect San Diego to draft a running back at this spot -- especially considering that San Diego does not have a second round pick in the 2009 Draft. There are some who consider Georgia RB Knowshon Moreno to be a superior prospect, but for now I have Wells going over Moreno based on his impressive size and how great of a contrast he would be with the 5'6" Sproles. 17. New York Jets - Knowshon Moreno, RB, Georgia ~In some ways I question the idea of the Jets not trying to stretch one more year out of the combo of Thomas Jones and Leon Washington, but the chance to land Moreno might be too enticing to pass up. The Jets might be tempted to trade up to get Moreno if they fear that San Diego might take him at #16, but of course that hinges on how the new braintrust with the Jets evaluates the relative skills of Wells and Moreno. 18. Chicago Bears - Tyson Jackson, DE, LSUJackson might have been a first round pick had he come out for last year's draft. In 2008 he fell off the radar to a degree due to LSU having a down year, but he has worked his way back into contention at the defensive end position. The Bears have already locked in DT Tommie Harris to a long-term deal, and adding Jackson to a defensive line that already has Harris and DE Alex Brown would make the team even tougher up front. 19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Peria Jerry, DT, Ole MissThe Bucs were in the running for free agent DT Albert Haynesworth up until the end, but the Redskins landed him. It was Haynesworth or bust for teams wanting an elite defensive tackle, so the Bucs must look elsewhere to fill that spot. Jerry has had a strong season at Ole Miss, and he has moved into strong first round projection territory with his performance and with this being such a weak draft at defensive tackle. The Bucs once had a defensive tackle with great pass-rushing skills with Warren Sapp, and while it's not fair to hold Jerry to Sapp's standards (at least on the field), Jerry could be a strong pickup for a Bucs defense that folded down the stretch in 2008. There are a wide variety of options for the Buccaneers at this spot, but picking Jerry here makes a great deal of sense. 20. Detroit Lions (from Cowboys) - James Laurinaitis, ILB, Ohio StateIf the Lions take a QB with their own first round pick (the #1 overall selection), they most likely would go defense with this selection. There is plenty of work to be done in Detroit on a defense that was mostly neglected (at least as far as first round pick use went) under former GM Matt Millen, and Laurinaitis could have an instant impact on the team. 21. Philadelphia Eagles - Brandon Pettigrew, TE, Oklahoma StateOne year ago the Eagles used their franchise tag to retain tight end L.J. Smith. It seems unlikely that the team would do that again, and short of Smith signing a long-term deal with Philly, the Eagles could be in the market for a tight end. At this point Pettigrew looks like the best of the bunch with Oklahoma TE Jermaine Gresham going back to school for 2009. At 6'6" 260 Pettigrew has great size and appears to have the ability to block on an NFL quality level. He is also a receiving threat, and adding him to the mix in Philly would be quite intriguing. 22. Minnesota Vikings - Alex Mack, C, CaliforniaPart of a strong crop of players at center, Mack is a skilled player who is talented at snapping (be it shotgun or traditional) and blocking. With Matt Birk an unrestricted free agent and apparently not coming back to Minnesota, Mack could be a strong addition to the Vikings lineup who might be called upon to play right away. 23. New England Patriots - D.J. Moore, CB, Vanderbilt ~An important part of the defense that lead Vanderbilt to its first bowl game since 1982, Moore is heading to the NFL -- where he could be a great pickup by New England. He has already shown that he can handle man-to-man matchups with some elite WR talent, which should make him an appealing pick for New England. The Patriots lost CB Asante Samuel to free agency last year, and giving a boost to that position by bringing a player with Moore's shut-down ability could be great. The Patriots might also consider drafting Wake Forest CB Alphonso Smith with this selection. 24. Atlanta Falcons - Aaron Maybin, DE/OLB, Penn State ~The Falcons have cut OLB Keith Brooking (who turns 34 this year). Maybin is in some ways a raw talent, but with good speed and great athleticism, Maybin could be a good fit for the Falcons defensive front seven. Moreover, Maybin could also provide depth at the defensive end position, which would be a win-win for Atlanta. 25. Miami Dolphins - Percy Harvin, WR, Florida ~The Dolphins could use a solid OLB, but instead of stretching to take one here the Dolphins could land an amazing talent in Harvin. Harvin has great speed, to be sure, but what makes him really stand out is his uncanny knack for not only running great routes but also in getting open. While I could see the Dolphins trading down here in Bill Parcells expert draft style, if Miami has the chance to draft Harvin here that could be a great move for a team that already has an emerging star with Ted Ginn, Jr. 26. Baltimore Ravens - Vontae Davis, CB, Illinois ~The Ravens cut longtime CB Chris McAlister earlier this month, and a logical progression for the Ravens would be to bring in a young player like Davis who, in time, could develop into a great pro cornerback. At 6'0" 205 Davis has average height for the position, but it's his speed and knack for breaking up passing plays that makes him look so good as a pro prospect. 27. Indianapolis Colts - Sen'Derrick Marks, DT, Auburn ~The Colts rely on defensive pressure from its front four to pressure the quarterback with its Cover 2 defense. Moreover, the team looks to the interior defensive line to stop the run, which has been a hit-or-miss proposition in recent years. At 6'1" (or 6'2" depending on who you believe) and 295 pounds, Marks would be able to help turn around the interior defensive line problems of the team. The DT position has been hit hard in the past two seasons, with the career-ending knee injury in August 2007 suffered by Anthony McFarland (who the Colts acquired for a second-round pick in 2006) and then the release of starting DT Ed Johnson early in the 2008 season after Johnson was arrested for possession of marijuana. 28. Philadelphia Eagles (from Panthers) - Eben Britton, OT, ArizonaBoth starting offensive tackles for the Eagles, Jon Runyan and Tra Thomas, are slated to be unrestricted free agents, and it's a distinct possibility that one (if not both) will be leaving the team. However, the Eagles in this scenario would have missed out on the first wave of offensive tackles by the time pick #21 came up, so it makes sense for the Eagles to snag Brandon Pettigrew at #21 and then go for Britton at this spot. 29. New York Giants - Fili Moala, DT, USCMoala is part of a fantastic USC defense, and he would be a nice fit for an already strong Giants front four. With DE Osi Umenyiora returning from a left knee injury that ended his 2008 season before it began, the Giants could become even more fearsome on its front four defensive front in 2009 with Umenyiora back and with the massive Moala plugging the middle. 30. Tennessee Titans - Darrius Heyward-Bey, WR, Maryland ~Heyward-Bey has an unusual combination of size (6'2" 205) and world-class speed (he ran a 4.30 40 at the combine), so much so that on one play early in the 2008 season he literally *outran* double-coverage en route to an open touchdown reception. Moreover, with Chris Carr as a free agent, Heyward-Bey would be an intriguing addition at the kick return spot. 31. Arizona Cardinals - LeSean McCoy, RB, Pittsburgh ~The Cardinals have a rather strong need for a franchise running back. Edgerrin James turns 31 in August, and for a third straight season he finished with a sub 4.0 yards per carry rushing average in 2008. He's also due a $5 million base salary in 2009. Tim Hightower had an even worse average than James, with an anemic 2.8 yards per carry in the 2008 regular season. J.J. Arrington had only 31 carries and is an unrestricted free agent as of March 1. McCoy is a very talented running back who would provide an instant boost to the Cardinals rushing attack. At 5'11" 210 he has decent size, but it's his sub 4.5 speed that helps make him be considered such a strong prospect. 32. Pittsburgh Steelers - Max Unger, C/OG, OregonUnger played center at Oregon, but he could potentially play both center and guard for the Steelers. Pittsburgh retained OG Chris Kemoeatu with a five-year contract, but Unger could still be a valuable addition to a Steelers team that needs some fresh blood on its offensive line. *Provided by Draft King