2009 NFL Draft: New England Patriots First Round

This entry is the next in a series that will be looking at what the consensus is amongst 15 mock drafts posted on main stream websites.  The drafts being utilized are ESPN’s Mel Kiper and Todd McShay, The National Football Post, DraftScout’s Rob Rang, Chad Reuter, Michael Lombardi, Clark Judge, and Pete Prisco, NFL.com’s Pat Kirwan, Steve Wyche, Charles Davis, Jamie Dukes, Pro Football Weekly, SI.com’s Don Banks, and Scout.com.  So with that being said let us look at what the consensus on the New England Patriots is.

The consensus with the Pats is they need to get younger and more athletic on defense.  They have been winning the past few years with a corps of veteran linebackers and a patchwork secondary at times.  The most popular pick for the Patriots has been USC linebacker Clay Matthews with six picks.

USC linebacker Brian Cushing, UConn corner Darius Butler, Northern Illinois pass rusher Larry English, and Illinois secondary man Vontae Davis are mentioned in two mock drafts.

UConn rusher Donald Brown and Oklahoma State tight end Brandon Pettigrew are mentioned as possibilities as well.

Bottom Line: Given they signed Chris Baker via free agency and already have Ben Watson drafting a tight end seems pretty unlikely.  They also added Fred Taylor via free agency making a running back lower on the priority list as well.  The Pats do have a need for an edge pass rusher but this may be a bit high for a guy like English to go.  Butler and Davis seem more likely selections but I think Belichick may wait until the top of the second round to grab Butler, who is likely to still be there, or Wake Forest’s Alphonso Smith.

Matthews or possibly Cushing are likely to be the guy as the Pats dealt Mike Vrabel and need to continue to get y0unger at the linebacker position and God only knows how much longer guys like Tedy Bruschi, Junior Seau, Adalius Thomas, and Roosevelt Colvin are going to be around.

2009 NFL Draft: Minnesota Vikings First Round

This entry is the next in a series that will be looking at what the consensus is amongst 15 mock drafts posted on main stream websites.  The drafts being utilized are ESPN’s Mel Kiper and Todd McShay, The National Football Post, DraftScout’s Rob Rang, Chad Reuter, Michael Lombardi, Clark Judge, and Pete Prisco, NFL.com’s Pat Kirwan, Steve Wyche, Charles Davis, Jamie Dukes, Pro Football Weekly, SI.com’s Don Banks, and Scout.com.  So with that being said let us look at what the consensus on the Minnesota Vikings is.

The general feeling around the league is the Vikings are a quality quarterback away from being a legitimate Super Bowl contender.  Therein lies the problem for the Vikes as this draft is very weak in terms of NFL ready quarterback talent.  The general feeling is that Matthew Stafford and Mark Sanchez are the only two in this year’s draft that are ready to play in the NFL and they figure to be long gone by the time Minnesota is on the clock.  So, the notion seems to be that the next best thing for them to do is go out and find a wide receiver to upgrade the passing game.

Florida’s Percy Harvin is the guy mentioned in most mock drafts going to Minnesota with five picks.  Rutgers’ wideout Kenny Britt is named in two drafts with Jeremy Maclin and Darrius Heyward-Bey getting mentions as well.

Arizona tackle Eben Britton has actually shown up on 3 mock drafts for the Vikings and Mississippi’s Michael Oher is named on one.

Connecticut cornerback Darius Butler and Illinois defensive back Vontae Davis get a mention as well.

Bottom Line: The light seemed to go on for Tarvaris Jackson down the stretch for the Vikings so quarterback may not be as pressing a need as was the prevailing thought six months ago.  The Vikings have one of the better offensive lines in the league and I am not sure they need to look at taking a tackle, if anything they would be looking to find someone to replace center Matt Birk.

Aside from Bernard Berrian there is very little to be excited about when looking at the Vikings receiving corps.  It seems pretty unlikely that Heyward-Bey or Maclin will slide down to Minnesota at 22 so Harvin or Britt seem to be the best choices here.  My gut tells me that with a guy like Berrian who stretches the field already on board they would opt for a guy like Britt who is more physically imposing than Harvin is.

Peters to Philadelphia

Well, it had been rumored for several weeks that the Eagles were in discussion to make a big deal prior to the draft and it appears that deal is about to happen.  It is being reported that the Eagles have agreed to send the Buffalo Bills several draft picks including the 28th pick and a 4th round pick in the upcoming draft in exchange for two time Pro Bowl left tackle Jason Peters.  The deal instantly solves the problem of who will replace Tra Thomas and seeing as he is only 27 he should anchor the Eagles’ offensive line for several years to come.

The only remaining obstacle will be to give him the long term extension he has been asking the Bills for that led to him begin dealt in the first place.  This means the Eagles likely will not be looking to draft a tackle in the first round of the upcoming draft and makes it all the more likely that they will target a back, receiver, or tight end with the 21st pick of the draft.

2009 NFL Draft: Philadelphia Eagles First Round

This entry is the next in a series that will be looking at what the consensus is amongst 15 mock drafts posted on main stream websites.  The drafts being utilized are ESPN’s Mel Kiper and Todd McShay, The National Football Post, DraftScout’s Rob Rang, Chad Reuter, Michael Lombardi, Clark Judge, and Pete Prisco, NFL.com’s Pat Kirwan, Steve Wyche, Charles Davis, Jamie Dukes, Pro Football Weekly, SI.com’s Don Banks, and Scout.com.  So with that being said let us look at what the consensus on the Philadelphia Eagles is.

The Eagles own two first round picks this year after dealing for the Panthers #1 pick last spring and the consensus is that they need to address two needs in the first round: Find a young offensive tackle and draft a back who will eventually succeed Brian Westbrook and provide a competent backup.  This draft is deep on talent at the offensive tackle position so finding one should not be a problem for the Eagles.

Georgia running back Knowshon Moreno has emerged as the top candidate to be the 21st pick of the draft with nine drafts pegging him here.  Oklahoma State tight end Brandon Pettigrew is mentioned on three mock drafts with Maryland’s Darrius Heyward-Bey, Arizona’s Eben Britton, and Mississippi’s Michael Oher getting mentions as well.

The overwhelming consensus is that the Eagles will until 28 to pick up a tackle with Britton, seven picks, and Connecticut’s William Beatty, two picks, being the top choices.  Oklahoma’s Phil Loadholt and Oher each get a mention as well.

The non-offensive tackles being mentioned at 28 for Philadelphia include UConn running back Donald Brown, Tennessee defensive end Robert Ayers, Cal center Alex Mack, and Southern Mississippi tight end Shawn Nelson.

Bottom Line: The thought is the Eagles need to find a tight end but they should be okay with Brent Celek for the time being and the offense really struggled when Westbrook was dinged up and by the end of the year one could clearly see that Jon Runyan and Tra Thomas were struggling to hold the edge on running plays.  Westbrook was consistently being knocked down in the backfield becaus Thomas or Runyan got beaten on the play.

Moreno would give the Eagles an eventual successor to Westbrook and would be someone who should be able to step in and handle the workload if Westbrook were to go down.  I only wonder if he would provide him with the between the tackles kind of runner the Eagles so sorely lack right now.

The Eagles let Thomas go to Jacksonville and Runyan’s status is up in the air after having to undergo knee surgery over the winter.  They need to find a young stud to anchor the left side of the line.

Look for the Eagles to grab Moreno with their first pick and the best available tackle, liekly to be Britton or Beatty, with its second pick.

However there are a couple of x-factors in play here.  First is that it has been long reported the Eagles are interested in moving way up in the draft in an effort to grab one of the top two or three tackle prospects available in the draft.  Second is that they have been linked in several trade rumors involving Braylon Edwards, Anquan Boldin, and Chad Ocho Cinco.  There is a strong possibility they could sacrifice one of their two first round picks if it means landing Edwards or Boldin.

Update: The Eagles have agreed to deal the 28th pick to the Bills for left tackle Jason Peters meaning that, with the previous addition of Stacy Andrews at right tackle, it is unlikely the Eagles will be looking to land a tackle in the first round.

2009 NFL Draft: Tampa Bay Buccaneers First Round

This entry is the next in a series that will be looking at what the consensus is amongst 15 mock drafts posted on main stream websites.  The drafts being utilized are ESPN’s Mel Kiper and Todd McShay, The National Football Post, DraftScout’s Rob Rang, Chad Reuter, Michael Lombardi, Clark Judge, and Pete Prisco, NFL.com’s Pat Kirwan, Steve Wyche, Charles Davis, Jamie Dukes, Pro Football Weekly, SI.com’s Don Banks, and Scout.com.  So with that being said let us look at what the consensus on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers is.

Kansas State quarterback Josh Freeman and Mississippi defensive tackle Peria Jerry are the top contenders to end up in Tampa with six and five picks respectively.

Illinois’ Vontae Davis, USC’s Brian Cushing, Penn State’s Aaron Maybin, and Florida State’s Everette Brown all get mentions as well.

Bottom Line: The Bucs two biggest needs this off season are finding a quarterback and doing something about plugging the hole at the defensive tackle position.  The breakdown in the middle of the defensive line was a big reason Tampa Bay fell apart down the stretch.  Tampa is probably may not be as hot for Freeman after signing Byron Leftwitch to a two year deal several days ago.  However, I would not rule Freeman out as a possibility as they may be thinking he will sit behind Byron for a couple of years until he is ready for prime time.  Leftwitch could also be Plan B in the even Freeman comes off the board earlier in the day.

In the end the pick quite possibly boils down to it being Peria Jerry if the Jets bite on Freeman.

2009 NFL Draft: New York Jets First Round

This entry is the next in a series that will be looking at what the consensus is amongst 15 mock drafts posted on main stream websites.  The drafts being utilized are ESPN’s Mel Kiper and Todd McShay, The National Football Post, DraftScout’s Rob Rang, Chad Reuter, Michael Lombardi, Clark Judge, and Pete Prisco, NFL.com’s Pat Kirwan, Steve Wyche, Charles Davis, Jamie Dukes, Pro Football Weekly, SI.com’s Don Banks, and Scout.com.  So with that being said let us look at what the consensus on the New York Jets is.

Kansas State quarterback Josh Freeman appears to be the front runner for the New York Jets with seven mock drafts picking him as the Jets first round selection.  Maryland wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey with 3 picks and Missouri pass catcher Jeremy Maclin with two picks are the next most popular selections for the Jets.

Oklahoma State’s Brandon Pettigrew, Georgia’s Knowshon Moreno, and Florida’s Percy Harvin get mentions as well.

Bottom Line: Throw Pettigrew out right away as they spent a first round pick on tight end Dustin Keller who had a strong rookie season.  Does a team really need two top tight ends?  The Jets need a backup tight end but they will likely spend a mid round pick on one. Moreno is a possibility as Thomas Jones enters his 11th year in the league but they have Leon Washington as the current backup so running back is not a pressing need for them right now.

Ultimately, this pick comes down to whether new head coach Rex Ryan thinks Kellen Clemens, Brett Ratliff, or Erik Ainge can emerge as the long term solution for the Jets.  If he does not have confidence that either of these three can do it long term then look for the Jets to grab Freeman.  If he thinks he already has a franchise QB in the fold then the Jets will take a wide receiver who can stretch the field.

As it stands today the Jets have Jerricho Cotchery and little else to be excited about since the team gave Lavernaeus Coles his release a few weeks ago.  I doubt Maclin slides all the way to 17 as Chad Reuter suggests he will.  There are too many teams ahead of the Jets who would love to get their hands on Maclin to let him fall this far.  Heyward-Bey or Harvin should still be there for the Jets.

The pick will likely boil down to Freeman or Heyward-Bey, but do not throw out the notion that they may try to deal up and grab Mark Sanchez if they feel they need to find a franchise QB as Sanchez is more NFL-ready than Freeman whom many see as a guy who is going to need a year or two to develop before seeing any kind of return on their investement.

2009 NFL Draft: San Diego Chargers First Round

This entry is the next in a series that will be looking at what the consensus is amongst 15 mock drafts posted on main stream websites.  The drafts being utilized are ESPN’s Mel Kiper and Todd McShay, The National Football Post, DraftScout’s Rob Rang, Chad Reuter, Michael Lombardi, Clark Judge, and Pete Prisco, NFL.com’s Pat Kirwan, Steve Wyche, Charles Davis, Jamie Dukes, Pro Football Weekly, SI.com’s Don Banks, and Scout.com.  So with that being said let us look at what the consensus on the San Diego Chargers is.

USC linebacker Rey Maualuga has emerged as the front runner for the Chargers with six mock drafts citing him as the guy San Diego is looking at.  Georgia running back Knowshon Moreno is second with 3 mentions and LSU defensive end Tyson Jackson is next with 2 mentions.

Offensive tackle is getting some attention with Alabama’s Andre Smith and Mississippi’s Michael Oher each getting mentions along with Ohio State cornerback Malcolm Jenkins and Maryland wideout Darrius Heyward-Bey getting picks as well.

Bottom Line: The Chargers could use an offensive tackle and could consider one here but it is unlikely.  They have publicly shown an interest in Knowshon Moreno and have had him in for a private workout.  He is a strong possibility here if they believe LaDanian Tomlinson’s best days are behind him.  It remains to be seen whether Darren Sproles can be an every down back for 16 games.

The Chargers have a need for an inside linebacker who can start alongside Stephen Cooper.  Cooper is a nice player but they have not had a strong presence at inside linebacker since Junior Seau left and the success of the 3-4 is driven largely by having playmakers at linebacker.

2009 NFL Draft: Houston Texans First Round

This entry is the next in a series that will be looking at what the consensus is amongst 15 mock drafts posted on main stream websites.  The drafts being utilized are ESPN’s Mel Kiper and Todd McShay, The National Football Post, DraftScout’s Rob Rang, Chad Reuter, Michael Lombardi, Clark Judge, and Pete Prisco, NFL.com’s Pat Kirwan, Steve Wyche, Charles Davis, Jamie Dukes, Pro Football Weekly, SI.com’s Don Banks, and Scout.com.  So with that being said let us look at what the consensus on the Houston Texans is.

The consensus is that the Texans are looking to upgrade the defense with its first pick with all 15 mock drafts having Houston taking a defensive player of some sort.  Ohio State cornerback Malcolm Jenkins and USC linebacker Brian Cushing are getting the most attention with six and four picks respectively.  Two mock drafts have them taking Mississippi defensive tackle Peria Jerry at number 15.

Illinois defensive back Vontae Davis, Boston College defensive tackle B. J. Raji, and Georgia Tech defensive end Michael Johnson all get mentions for the Texans as well.

Bottom Line: The Texans would love to get their hands on Raji, but, unless his rumored positive drug test at the combine kills his status he is likely to be long gone by the time Houston selects at 15.  Taking Johnson or Davis here would be big time reaches as the consensus on Davis seems to be that he will go in the mid 20s and Johnson is seen as a second round prospect by most.

In the End Houston will probably target Jenkins with Cushing and/or Jerry being Plan B if Jenkins is taken earlier.

2009 NFL Draft: New Orleans Saints First Round

This entry is the next in a series that will be looking at what the consensus is amongst 15 mock drafts posted on main stream websites.  The drafts being utilized are ESPN’s Mel Kiper and Todd McShay, The National Football Post, DraftScout’s Rob Rang, Chad Reuter, Michael Lombardi, Clark Judge, and Pete Prisco, NFL.com’s Pat Kirwan, Steve Wyche, Charles Davis, Jamie Dukes, Pro Football Weekly, SI.com’s Don Banks, and Scout.com.  So with that being said let us look at what the consensus on the New Orleans Saints is.

Ohio State running back Chris “Beanie” Wells seems to be the front runner for the Saints.  This one has been a bit confounding to me given the overwhelming need to improve the defense.  The offense scored 29 points per game last season the defense surrendered 25 and was a big reason the Saints did not make the playoffs last season.  I realize that Reggie Bush is not the answer but the offense seemed to click with him sharing carries with Pierre Thomas.  Do the Saints really have a need for three running backs getting significant touches in an offense that likes to throw upwards of 40 times a game.  All that said Wells has been named as the guy in 8 of the 15 mock drafts.

USC linebacker Brian Cushing and Ohio State cornerback Malcolm Jenkins each got two picks with Tyson Jackson, Everette Brown, and Jeremy Maclin each getting a nod.

Bottom Line: It looks like Beanie is the guy but it does not make a ton of sense given the offense is one of the best in the league and the team would be better served improving the defense.

2009 NFL Draft: Washington Redskins First Round

This entry is the next in a series that will be looking at what the consensus is amongst 15 mock drafts posted on main stream websites.  The drafts being utilized are ESPN’s Mel Kiper and Todd McShay, The National Football Post, DraftScout’s Rob Rang, Chad Reuter, Michael Lombardi, Clark Judge, and Pete Prisco, NFL.com’s Pat Kirwan, Steve Wyche, Charles Davis, Jamie Dukes, Pro Football Weekly, SI.com’s Don Banks, and Scout.com.  So with that being said let us look at what the consensus on the Washington Redskins is.

The consensus on the ‘Skins is that they are looking at offensive line or defensive front seven help.  Alabama tackle Andre Smith and Tennessee defensive end Robert Ayers, and Mississippi tackle Michael Oher have gotten the most selections with 3 apiece with LSU defensive end Tyson Jackson getting two nods.

USC linebacker Brian Cushing, Texas defensive end Brian Orakpo, Florida State end Everette Brown, USC quarterback Mark Sanchez, and Texas Tech wideout Michael Crabtree get mentions as well.  Orakpo and Crabtree seem unlikely as both are almost assured of going in the top ten.

Bottom Line:They need to think long and hard about taking an offensive lineman with Jon Jansen’s career in limbo due to injury and Chris Samuel starting to slow down a bit.  The defense has lacked the presence of an elite pass rusher for several years now and could stand an upgrade in talent.  The passing game could use some fresh legs as Santana Moss and Antwan Randle-El no longer stretch defenses like they used to.

Orakpo and Crabtree seem unlikely as both are almost assured of going in the top ten and Andre Smith seems to moving back into the top ten and appears destined for Cincy these days.  One of Ayers, Jackson, Brown, or Oher should still be there at 13 and I suspect the Redskins settle on the best of what is left in that grouping.

Sanchez is the x-factor here.  The Redskins are said to be smitten and have already gone out to LA to work him out privately.  Head coach Jim Zorn seems to be angling to find anyone not named Jason Campbell to helm the Redskins offense next season.  After losing out to the Bears in the Jay Cutler sweepstakes Dan Snyder could make a play for Sanchez.  It seems unlikely that Sanchez will slide to the Skins so if they want him they are probably going to have to swing a deal to go and get him.