NFL Draft/My Mock Draft

Today is the NFL Draft. I love the NFL Draft. On one level, it's mindless fun spent wasting time talking about sports. And I have to love that. And on the other hand, it's hope springing eternal, the promise of potential combined with a chance to make that potential reality. And who can't love that.

This year's draft is wide open. The worst way to describe this draft is "top heavy". You can almost get the same value in the middle or end of the first round as you can get at the top of it.

So, with that said, I'm going to provide my Mock Draft for the second year in a row, and hopefully do a little better this year.

And, I'm at least guaranteed one right pick.

1. Miami Dolphins: OT Jake Long, Michigan
2. St. Louis Rams: DT Glenn Dorsey, LSU
3. Atlanta Falcons: QB Matt Ryan, Boston College
4. Oakland Raiders: RB Darren McFadden, Arkansas
5. Kansas City Chiefs: DE Chris Long, Virginia
6. New York Jets: DE/OLB Vernon Gholston, Ohio State
7. New England Patriots: OLD Keith Rivers, USC
8. Baltimore Ravens: CB Leodis McKelvin, Troy
9. Cincinnati Bengals: DT Sedrick Ellis, USC
10. New Orleans Saints: CB Mike Jenkins, USF
11. Buffalo Bills: WR Devin Thomas, Michigan State
12. Denver Broncos: OG Branden Albert, Virginia
13. Carolina Panthers: OT Ryan Clady, Boise St
14. Chicago Bears: RB Reshard Mendenhall, Illinois
15. Detroit Lions: DE Derrick Harvey, Florida
16. Arizona Cardinals: RB Jonathon Stewart, Oregon
17. Kansas City Chiefs: OT Jeff Otah, Pittsburgh
18. Houston Texans: OT Chriss Williams, Vanderbilt
19. Philadelphia Eagles: CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Tennessee St
20. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: WR DeSean Jackson, Cal
21. Washington Redskins: DE Philip Merling, Clemson
22. Dallas Cowboys: CB Aqib Talib, Kansas
23. Pittsburgh Steelers: OT Gosder Cherilus, Boston College
24. Tennessee Titans: WR Limas Sweed, Texas
25. Seattle Seahawks: LB Jerod Mayo, Tennessee
26. Jacksonville Jaguars: DE Quentin Groves, Clemson
27. San Diego Chargers: RB Felix Jones, Arkansas
28. Dallas Cowboys: WR Malcom Kelly, Kansas
29. San Fransisco 49ers: DT Kentwan Balmer, North Carolina
30. Green Bay Packers: S Kenny Philips, Miami
31. New York Giants: CB Brandon Flowers, Virginia Tech


And so, most of these will probably be wrong. But I'll be happy. I like Cherilus to the Steelers. A lot of early mocks had Pittsburgh going O-Line, but have shifted of late. I'll be disappointed if we leave round one with Jonathon Stewart, as the SI.com beat writer mock had happen. Better value in OT round one and RB round two (maybe Ray Rice from Rutgers in Rd 2?)

I'd also like to go on record as saying that Brian Brohm is a better quarterback than Matt Ryan, and that whoever trades up into round one to get Brohm is getting a great quarterback. I also think Henne and Flaco are headed for quick career exits and that Brohm is the best quarterback on the board. Of course, if I needed a franchise quarterback, I'd either try to get Brohm, or wait till day two and get a steal in Dennis Dixon from Oregon.