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2005 NFL Mock Draft ROUND 1
1 San Francisco - Aaron Rodgers. The
Niners have narrowed it down to five choices. Antrel Rolle,
Braylon Edwards, Alex Smith, Aaron Rodgers, and "Pretty
please, pretty please make a trade with us so we don't
have to pay one of these guys like they are Eli Manning."
Hopefully the other teams in the NFL have enough humor
to let them sit and suffer through every second of that
15 minutes. I imagine they will. As for the pick, here's
the truth. Antrel Rolle's out. First of all many think
Pacman is better, and some are seeing Carlos Rodgers flutter
past Rolle on their draft boards. How can you make that
guy number one? But, he'll be good. Braylon Edwards would
be the safest and smartest pick, strong, tall, fast, with
great athletic talent. Nolan might do so. But I think
he'll look at the film and see that last year Cody Pickett
and Ken Dorsey were starting games for his new team, and
he'll pick the QB who's impressed him the most, Aaron
Rodgers.
2 Miami - Ronnie Brown. Miami's
favorite option at 2 is very similar to the 49ers, and
their outcome will be similar. That's the funny thing
about being 1 and 2. If you want to trade down because
there's not the "for sure" superstar, nobody
wants to trade up because, well, there's not a "for
sure" superstar! Fortunately for Miami, there are
too many pretty good players to blow this pick. They won't
get much if they trade, so sticking here and selecting
a strong, fast, athletic running back who was mature enough
to be a number 2 back his entire college career would
be the best move. Nick Saban seems like a best move guy.
The Phin's pick Ronnie Brown and reap the benefits of
once again having an offensive cornerstone.
3 Cleveland - Derrick Johnson.
Picking up Reuben Droughns does one of two things. One,
no way William Green sticks around in Cleveland, and no
way I pick either Lee Suggs or Droughns earlier than round
8 in my fall fantasy draft. Savage must have liked the
Pittsburgh rushing attack as well as Dunn and Duckett
in Atlanta. What the Browns did by picking Dilfer was
eliminate the need for a reliable QB option this year,
waiting for a stronger class, or waiting till Brady-time
to pick up a flier. A big athletic receiver will be tough
to pass up here, as two surefire starters will be on the
board, but Cronell has a good record with superstar line
backers, and defenses in general. He'll be allowed to
stick to his guns, as the Browns will help build what
they started improving this off-season, their defense.
He'll either pick Derrick Johnson, Rolle, or find a bidder
for the 3 spot, possibly the Chargers or Redskins. Derrick
Johnson fits too perfectly to pass him up if the Browns
stay here.
4 Chicago - Pacman Jones. I think
it'd be ludicrous for the Bears, who need so many things,
to pick a running back like Carnell Williams or Cedric
Benson. Does that mean they won't? Yes! Lovie Smith is
no dummy. If he ignored his one bright spot in Thomas
Jones than I don't expect him to last more than a couple
years at the helm. I think Jones, with a healthy NFL quarterback,
could post 1600-yard seasons. He showed his potential
early last year. So the Bears won't go RB. They could
go receiver, even with the big signing of Mushin Muhammad.
Unfortunately the two top receivers are younger versions
of Mushin. Still a big athletic ball hawking pair of WR's
might be too much to pass up. But a WR in round 2 or 3
looks more likely. The Bears are the most likely of the
top 4 to be able to move down, which could really help
their team. They are in dire need of nothing, besides
a win or two in the regular season. If they stay here,
they take Pacman Jones in a surprise move, and trade one
of their corners for a pick or two later.
5 Tampa Bay - Carnell Williams.
The bucs could take Mike Williams or Braylon Edwards,
but a running back is more important for the Bucs to get
moving in the right direction. A Cadillac would be my
top pick, because they have everything my rump needs,
comfort, power, wood finish, big back seats. The Bucs
might go with Mr. Williams for the same reason, except
their "everything" is something like, speed,
strength, leverage, and character. Michael Pittman isn't
the long-term answer in Tampa Bay, and Gruden knows that.
Though you never know what Chucky could be up to with
that evil grin, I'd like to think he's sincere about taking
Carnell early. Williams is tough, fast, strong, and athletic.
He ran in the 4.4's and carries himself well on and off
the gridiron. And remember, he was the starter at Auburn.
6 Tennessee - Braylon Edwards.
Besides McNair, the entire Titan team will be playing
football somewhere else next season, or so it seems. Letting
Derrick Mason go had to almost break Steve McNair's heart.
But, this week, when the team told Steve their plans,
he promptly let the world know that he'd be back in Titan
blue and white in '05. Their plans went like this; Pick
Braylon Edwards at pick 6. Braylon is fast and big with
great athletic ability and huge hands. That will give
Steve the big targets of Drew Bennett (6'4") and
Edwards (6'4") on both sides of the field. That way,
if he feels pressure, he does what I do, just let it go.
Like me, he saves his body for another year, gives two
tall guys with good hands a chance to make a play, and
the Titans get that much closer to making themselves play-off
worthy in 2006. They also said they'd do what they can
about the country music they play at home games.
7 Minnesota (from Oakland) - Mike Williams.
Minnesota realizes here that if they don't pick Mike Williams
the people of Minnesota will never come to another game
again. They need a big, tall, athletic, strong, and confident
guy to move in to an empty locker. Mike isn't Randy, but
then again, the Vikings traded Randy for a decent line
backer and this pick. Obviously, Randy wasn't what they
wanted. The Vikings could add Derrick Johnson if he happens
to slip this far, but so could the last few teams. When
all is said and done Minnesota will pick either Williams
or Edwards if they're available here. Mike Williams is
really good, better than people are crediting him, and
many people thought he'd be the top receiver taken if
he were available last year. He wasn't. He is this year.
The year off didn't seem to bother his value.
8 Arizona - Cedric Benson. Dennis
Green, like many coaches who tried to stick with Kurt
in the last few years, is hoping Kurt Warner is half of
what he was with the Rams in his first two seasons. Like
many coaches, he'll be disappointed. What he won't do
is waste a pick on a quarterback here. That leaves him
two choices in my eyes. If Benson is on the board here,
or any of the top three running backs, Tags heads up to
the podium and announces one of their names. The only
one left on my mock board is Benson, so that's whom I'd
pick. If all three are gone, then it has to be a corner.
Rolle or Jones goes here. Jones is gone in a stunner at
pick 4, so Rolle heads to Arizona. My board says Benson
moves from Texas to 'Zona, teams up with three good receivers
and a pretty good line.
9 Washington - Antrel Rolle. If
Alex Smith is still available, and I predict he will be,
the Redskins might do more of what they've been doing,
and show the world they had no idea what Steve Spurrier
was up to and take Smith here. Smith could go 1 to the
49ers, and could be snagged up by an interested party
a couple picks earlier, but Patrick Ramsey hasn't shown
he can do much, so the 'Skins might be tempted. I think
they look at their team, think they can win now with what
they've got, and help their defense out by picking one
of, if not the biggest defensive playmaker in the draft,
Antrel Rolle. Rolle might not have Pacman's speed, but
he's got the mentality and the aggressiveness to make
him succeed in the league. Rolle has shown enough speed
to stay at CB. Washington picks him at pick 9.
10 Detroit - Alex Smith. Maybe
the Lions would like to give Joey Harrington another year
to see what he's really made of, and he'll still get that
chance with Smith getting picked here. Smith is not ready
to start in this league, but his potential might be too
much to pass up this late in a draft that lacks elite
QBs. Especially with the blown chances that Joey has had
the last couple of years. Maybe with Smith getting picked
here, the Lions will be lucky enough to be in the same
position the Chargers are in this year. The Lions would
like to add a starter at Tackle, which could be had with
picking Alex Barron, but the chance to possibly pick up
the best QB available in the draft will be too much for
the Lions to ignore.
11 Dallas - Shawne Merriman. I'd
hate to see Shawne go to Dallas, because I like Shawne.
But it looks like Bill Parcels wants to change his team's
defensive look to a 3-4 and Merriman seems to have what
it takes to make the move work. Shawne is a pass-rushing
dynamo, and with Parcels luck, Merriman might have a little
bit of LT in his game. Merriman already played both positions
in college, thriving with the Maryland Terrapins. His
4.6 speed and big play ability makes him a perfect fit
with the destroyer, Roy Williams. Another defensive addition,
possibly a D-Tackle at pick 20 might give the Cowboys
a jump into the 3-4 that Bill covets.
12 San Diego (from New York Giants)
- Erasmus James. Let's reflect. The Giants get Manning,
the Chargers are the most improved team with Drew Brees.
They now have Brees and Rivers and this pick. The Giants
have Manning, and a pick in round 2. Better deal? Whomever
the Bolts get here, the deal has worked for them. If Mike
Williams or Braylon Edwards happens to fall this far,
expect a quick pick from Charger headquarters. Either
one has the size that short quarterback Drew Brees prefers.
(See the year Antonio Gates had last year) On my board
both future stars are already gone, so I won't talk any
longer about them. With hopes Mark Clayton or even Troy
Williamson falls to the 20 spot, they'll look to get the
best true defensive end in the draft. In my opinion, that's
Erasmus James. The big guy reminds me of the good old
days. He's a game changer. He doesn't have the best of
anything, speed, size, or strength, but he has it all,
and he's a darn good player. Marcus Spears is another
option, he's real big, and might be a perfect fit in the
tackle/end tweener position in the 3-4.
13 Houston - Alex Barron. Houston
would love it if they could better protect David Carr
with the best O-Tackle in the draft, Barron. Top needs
seem to be D-Line, preferably a pass rusher who can take
some heat off Jason Babbin. But if I know the Texans,
and I do, I know how much they love to try and protect
David Carr. Carr has gotten better each year, and would
really improve with a gigantic young Tackle bookending
one side of the line. If they can get the best O-Lineman
the draft has to offer, they'll address their other needs
later.
14 Carolina - Troy Williamson.
The Panthers would jump around in circles and possibly
even dance the jig if Alex Barron would slip down to 14.
Nothing could be better. I see the Texans one-upping Carolina,
so they'll have to save that gig for a different celebration.
Other than that, I don't see any glaring needs for the
Panthers, who were one of the hottest teams, if not the
hottest team the second half of the season. Many say running
back is a need, but I disagree. Strongly. Nick Goings
proved there are 3 guys in Carolina who can get the job
done. Carolina would love Foster to stay healthy for a
full year, just to see what he could do. A healthy Stephen
Davis would be nice as well. Either way, it's not a need.
WR? Steve Smith was one of the best in the league two
years ago, and Keary Colbert filled in admirably in his
rookie campaign. A Jerry Rice type wouldn't hurt, as always.
With Barron gone, the Panthers will have the luxury of
taking the best player on the board. On my board, that
pick is Troy Williamson, who is another Steve Smith. I'd
take two of him.
15 Kansas City - Carlos Rogers.
The chiefs will almost certainly pick up Patrick Certain
or Ty Law, but that doesn't mean Carlos Rogers, who is
steadily catching up to Antrel Rolle and Pacman Jones,
won't get plucked by the Chiefs. Kansas City has had a
terrible secondary ever since Priest Holmes decided he
was the best back in the league. That was at least three
years ago. Taking Rogers, who has great upside, wonderful
numbers, and good size would make for a good trio at cornerback.
Defensive End Marcus Spears is also a good option here.
Spear is real big, and plays as aggressive as any D-lineman
in the draft. The addition of Carlos Hall from Tennessee
makes me think the Chiefs are looking somewhere else with
this pick.
16 New Orleans - Darryl Blackstock.
The Saints aren't as young and immature as they use to
be, don't be confused by their inconsistency and inability
to play up to their talent expectations. The Saints could
see their opportunities to win with what they've got slipping
away. They might reach for their biggest need and pick
Darryl Blackstock. He might not fit the Saints system
ideally, but his size and speed, plus his ability to line
up on the line could give New Orleans the jump-start their
defense needs. They have three decent linebackers who
can play anywhere, making Blackstock a playmaker that
can run around and cause offenses big problems.
17 Cincinnati - Travis Johnson.
The Bengals need help inside against the run. Travis Johnson
is the best defensive tackle in the draft. At 6'4"
Johnson has speed and adequate strength to get the job
done. If the Bengals don't trade their pick, and Johnson
remains on the board this long, he's gone here.
18 Minnesota - The Vikings already
picked up a big receiver in round one, which leaves them
looking for a good defensive end, or 3-4 line backer/
end type. Enter David Pollack. Pollack doesn't have the
height (6'2"0 the weight (270) or the superior strength
to get on any combine-warrior lists. Luckily for him,
that stuff means just about as much as hitting homeruns
off a tee. David Pollack is a top 10 talent. He's in every
play. He disrupts offenses in the passing game, running
game, and everything else. He's got a motor like a Mack
truck, and really knows how to play this game. The Vikings
will be lucky to get someone as good as Pollack who fits
well into their scheme. Like Williams at pick 7, this
pick fills a huge need as well.
19 St. Louis - Jamal Brown. Jamal
Brown would be a big improvement from last year. The Rams
need a tackle so Bulger isn't just heaving the ball down
field hoping not to get killed, though it seems Mike Martz
likes it that way. Jamal Brown is mediocre at run blocking
which might be bad for St. Louis, because one of their
biggest weapons might be second year man Stephen Jackson.
But, then again, Martz never really liked to take advantage
of his loaded backfield, so maybe Brown is perfect for
Martz's system after all.
20 Dallas (from Buffalo) - Shaun Cody.
Here's to the Bills for having a great second half and
moving this pick all the way to 20 for the 'Boy's. Cheers!
Here's another toast to the Bills for trading this pick
for JP Losman, who would almost certainly be the best
quarterback on the board this year. Cheers! And here's
another congratulations for pawning off the speed-demon
Drew Bledsoe on the same team they traded this pick to.
Nice work! Oh, the Cowboys end up taking Shaun Cody. He's
real big, and although the Cowboys picked up a couple
D-Lineman in free agency, another big body would really
help their hole in the interior of their line, which happens
to be more of a sieve than a line at all.
21 Jacksonville - Justin Miller.
The Jacksonville secondary isn't what it used to be. Jacksonville's
top need is corner, and it wouldn't be a reach to select
Justin Miller with the 21st pick. Miller has similar numbers
across the board with Pacman Jones. He's not big, but
has one of the largest vertical leaps in the draft. His
ball skills might be his strongest asset, which is something
the Jaguars need on the corner. Terry Cousin could help
the Jags but Miller could be an instant playmaker in many
situations. They also might go for Marcus Spears if he
happens to fall this far. I like Miller here.
22 Baltimore - Marcus Spears.
This guy probably won't last this long, which means my
mind played a trick on me somewhere. Like that's something
new. Baltimore could really use the monstrous Spears to
plug a hole left by Marques Douglas who bolted to San
Francisco. Spears can play. While the team would be really
interested in adding a receiver with the hands and complete
game of Mark Clayton, they'd be hard pressed not to allow
this gift to slip through their fingers. If the rest of
the NFL forgets about Spears like I did, the 304lb, 6'4",
run stuffing end could clog up some offensive line schemes,
allowing Ray Lewis and company to make more plays. It'd
be a good fit.
23 Seattle - Mark Clayton. I don't
know if this pick is a good move. First of all I don't
think it will happen because Mark Clayton's hands are
too good to be part of the Seahawk receiving corps. Secondly,
if he does go to Seattle, he will almost certainly lose
one of his greatest assets, his ability to catch the ball
anywhere on the field. Those two things being said, Clayton
would be a perfect fit in Seattle. If a D-end slips, the
Hawks could go that direction, which might be the right
thing to do, for Clayton's benefit. I may be far from
a Sunday warrior, but I know Seattle's not a good place
for catching footballs. Hasselbeck might find an angel
in Clayton.
24 Green Bay - Thomas Davis. Davis
is my kind of safety. My kind of safety would rather dislocate
the ball from the receiver than try to make an ill-advised
play on the ball that allows big plays. He takes great
angles and has above average speed, clocked in the low
4.4's. He's strong and has a knack for clobbering ball
carriers. He's great in run support and plays well against
the pass. Considering Brett Favre would probably be the
best safety on the team if the Pack stood pat, Thomas
Davis would be a great need pick here. Brodney Pool is
also a viable option, but I think Davis has more upside.
25 Denver - Fabian Washington.
Fabian Washington has amazing numbers all across his combine
sheet. He ran a 4.29, had a 3.9 shuttle, and a 41.5"
vertical leap. His slight frame isn't ideal for today's
standards, but he looks like a darn good corner at the
25th pick. The Broncos have Champ Bailey holding down
one spot. A quick, athletic, extremely fast corner in
the nickel, and soon to be starter would be a great help
for Bailey and the Bronco D. Kennoy Kennedy left in free-agency
so Brodney Pool or Thomas Davis are also good options
with this pick. Secondary help should be on its way.
26 N.Y. Jets - Heath Miller. If
the Jets end up trading John Abraham during the draft,
or plan on doing so soon after, this pick might be completely
different. Like Demarcus Ware or Matt Roth for example.
But then again, if I sat here and planned for all that
jazz I'd be all over the place. Then again, it's almost
useless to assume no trades will happen. You know what,
forget this! I'm going home. Okay, okay, lets assume Abraham
comes back to New York. Fabian Washington, if he were
still around he would be nice here. He's gone on my board.
With the only stud tight end in the draft still on the
board, the Jets might take a chance. All trades aside,
I think they pick Health Miller with this pick. The Jets
would like an elite TE. I'm not sure Miller is that, but
he's the closest thing this draft has.
27 Atlanta - Brodney Pool. The
Falcons could use some help in the defensive secondary.
Last year they took a step in the right direction with
DeAngelo Hall. Hall played well at the end of the year,
but the Falcons D still gave up too many big plays. Brodney
Pool is thought by many to be the best safety in the draft.
He's a big hitter and playmaker. He's not the best coverage
safety in the world, but he's adequate if not above average.
He's strong and fast. His big plays could get Mike Vick
back on the field in a hurry, which is exactly what the
Falcons need.
28 San Diego - Matt Jones. If
Brodney Pool or Thomas Davis is on the board, San Diego
could snatch either of them up. They need big plays from
the safety position as much as anyone. As for now, they're
both gone. Too bad. Any receiver here would be a reach.
Matt Jones, who has been shooting up boards everywhere
might be too much like Antonio Gates to take with this
pick. But wait... is that a bad thing? Could you see double
tight end sets with Gates and Jones? That would be a nightmare
for opposing defenses. Yes, I can see it in my clouded
old mind. The Chargers couldn't find the luck to get Williams
or Edwards so they take Jones here figuring they can't
get enough of a good thing. Jones makes huge strides,
and becomes a great receiver tight end combo. The Chargers
win the Super Bowl, and they really do go to Disney Land
afterwards because they live but a couple hours away.
"Drew Brees, you just won the Super Bowl, what are
you gonna do?" ~ "I'm gonna get traded so Phillip
Rivers can play!"
29 Indianapolis - Luis Castillo.
Fortunately the Colts can take the best defensive player
available here, because they have so many holes on the
side of the ball not controlled by Peyton Manning. Unfortunately
for the Colts they have lots of holes. What they need
is anybody to help their terrible defense. Luis Castillo
isn't a projected first rounder, but deserves to be and
should go there. There is nothing wrong with this kid.
He's a big run stuffer and has good combine numbers. Oh
yeah, and he produced in college when he was healthy and
injured. Castillo might be the best tackle in the draft,
and getting him here would be a steal for a Colts team
that could use an all around good player at the position.
30 Pittsburgh - Demarcus Ware.
It would be too perfect if the Steelers picked up this
years position switch phenom Matt Jones, but don't count
it out. The Steelers could always use some good D-lineman,
thought their defense was stout last year. Demarcus Ware
might be the best player on the board here, which is the
way Lock Jaw likes to run his drafts. Cory Webster could
go here, so could TE Alex Smith, or any number of quality
guys left on the board. They'll probably be good if the
Steelers take them. Ware is a pass rushing enthusiast,
who works hard and gets from here to there in a hurry,
4.5 40 yard dash. He reminds me a little of Dwight Freeney
and maybe Leonard Little. He's undersized, but strong
enough to get the job done. He'd be a great help for a
good Pittsburgh team.
31 Philadelphia - Matt Roth. With
Derrick Burgess jumping on the Randy Moss bandwagon, the
Eagles are left without a complement to Javon Kearse.
Matt Roth would give the Eagles an old school defensive
end who does everything well. He grades out pretty even
across the board. He's never going to need a kick in the
ass, he's got a V-8. Defensive end is as important as
anything to the Philly D, and a run stopper could really
improve them. Matt Roth is a good player who's only down
side is too much hustle. Bummer.
32 New England - Cory Webster.
And the Patriots have the last pick again. Can't ever
be sad about that. The Patriots need a good corner with
Ty Law likely on his way out. They did pretty well with
what they had, in fact, they did real well. They've obviously
shown they can get good rookies late in the draft that
can start in the Super Bowl. This year, I don't think
they'll wait past this pick. Cory Webster isn't the fastest
corner in the draft, but he's got good size (6'1")
and good ball skills. He's strong against the run, and
just a flat out good corner. The Pats could use what he's
got to give. With the last pick of round 1, the Pats get
a possible starter in Cory Webster.
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