An Interesting observation I just made, by reading over some of the email I get as a result of authoring this blog. Many of you out there have commented on my month long hiatus on making posts, and I figured that everyone was missing my witty monologues about nothing in particular, which has become also know as, my life. I was mistaken however. You all don't really care about what is up with my life, instead, my email has been a badgering about "who do you think my team will select in the first round" and "do you see the Jamal Lewis signing impacting the first round?" It seems that I am loved for only my profound football insight, so with only a little more adieu, here is my updated first round mock 2007 draft.
These projections include combine performances, and the initial blitz of free agency signings. Things can and will change between and the draft, so stay tuned.
1. Oakland Raiders - JaMarcus Russell, QB, LSU
Not all that much has changed for Oakland this offseason. Dominic Rhodes will be a good second to Lamont Jordan, but that doesn't affect first round projections. As long as Al Davis can control himself and not draft the freakish Calvin Johnson, Russell will replace Brooks as the Raiders starter, and the Raiders will again be on the clock.
2. Detroit Lions - Joe Thomas, OT, Wisconsin
With the acquisition of George Foster in the deal Dre Bly deal, this is no longer a lock pick. Ultimately, the Lions should trade down, but assuming they stay, I still see Thomas as the best pick for Detroit.
3. Cleveland Browns - Adrian Peterson, RB, Oklahoma
Although the Browns did indeed sign Jamal Lewis, they only signed him for a 1-year deal. They will still take Peterson here, and allow him to slowly acclimate himself to the rigors of a full NFL season. This 1-2 HB punch should give signal caller Charlie Frye more time to develop, and could help the Browns back towards the playoffs!!!
4. Tampa Bay Bucs - Calvin Johnson, WR, Georgia Tech
Tampa needs a lot of help, and one pick won't get it done. John Gruden is an offensive minded head coach, and although DT Alan Branch will get consideration,
Johnson will be too good to pass on. If Joe Thomas falls, however, things could get interesting.
5. Arizona Cardinals - Gaines Adams, DE, Clemson
Ultimately the Cards want Thomas. So much so, I can see them trying to swap picks with Detroit, giving up a 3rd or 4th rounder in the process. Should the board fall as I predict however, the Cards will select Adams as the highest rated pass rusher in the draft.
6. Washington Redskins - Alan Branch, DT, Michigan
The skins sorely need help in their front seven, and Branch may be the best DT prospect to come out of college since Warren Sapp. Branch can change games with his play, and the Skins really need his presence in the middle.
7. Minnesota Vikings - Jamaal Anderson, DE, Alabama
The Vikes will be tempted by both QB, Brady Quinn, and WR, Ted Ginn here, but in the end they will settle on Anderson, hoping he can add a pass rush element to their defense.
8. Houston Texans - Brady Quinn, QB, Notre Dame
This pick is dependent upon Houston finding a trading partner for David Carr, but in the end, he will be dealt, and Kubiak and Co will choose Quinn as their QB of the future.
9. Miami Dolphins - Ted Ginn Jr, WR, Ohio St.
Many teams have the Phins looking DT here, but with the signing of Porter, and offensive guru Cam Cameron at the helm, the team will go with the explosive Ginn. Ginn also provideds the team with the replacement they need for the exited Wes Welker in the return game.
10. Atlanta Falcons - LaRon Landry, S, LSU
It is pretty obvious that the Falcons are in need of a top notch safety, since the Malloy/Crocker combination was the worst in football last year. Now, after the combine has been completed, it seems that the question of who the highest rated safety will be has also been answered.
11. San Francisco 49ers - Amobi Okoye, DT, Louisville
The 9ers have already gotten appreciably better defensively with the Clements addition, but now adding the 19yr old Okoye from Louisville will make this defense dangerous. Okoye will have a year alongside Bryant Young to learn, and then watch out.
12. Buffalo Bills - Leon Hall, CB, Michigan
Losing Clements hurt Buffalo and Hall has they ability to make the mourning period much shorter. Unfortunately, this pick is no longer a lock, as after trading away starting HB Willis McGahee to Baltimore, RB, Marshawn Lynch will get a long look too.
13. St Louis Rams - Lawrence Timmons, LB, FSU
Athletic and fast, Timmons will immediately start alongside Will Witherspoon, helping a defense that could not stop the run last year.
14. Carolina Panthers - Patrick Willis, LB, Ole Miss
The primary need of the Panthers is LB, and the resigning of Na'il Diggs is not the answer. Morgan has been injury prone, and the addition of Willis will make such situations much more manageable for this defense.
15. Pittsburgh Steelers - Darrelle Revis, CB, Pitt
After losing Joey Porter, the Steelers will take a long look at tweener Jarvis Moss from the National Champion Gators. However, in the end, the Steelers will remember their porous pass defense and select Revis as the #2 corner on the board.
16. Green Bay Packers - Marshawn Lynch, RB, California
It was anticipated that this would be the selection, as running back Amahn Green was turing 30, a watershed year for running backs. Now it seems this pick is even more important as Amahn has bolted the Bay for Greener (pun intended) pastures in Houston.
17. Jacksonville Jaguars - Jarvis Moss, DE, Florida
The Jags have two pressing needs. They need a safety now that Grant has left for Seattle, but they also need a major pass rusher off the end. although Moss is rated behind Nebraska standout Adam Carriker on my board, he fits the tweener position Jacksonville needs to fill, and therefore he get the call.
18. Cincinnati Bengals - Jon Beason, LB, Miami
The Bengals are a team who needs to find players with no character questions. Where better to look, then Coral Gables FL, a beacon of moral light in college football. Seriously though, Beason is fast and strong and will quickly make the team forget about the loss of David Pollock.
19. Tennessee Titans - Dewayne Jarrett, WR, USC
The addition of Jarrett to the Titans is perfect as Norm Chow knows Jarrett well from their days at USC. Young needs a target will good hands, especially now that Drew Bennett is a Ram, and Jarrett fits the bill.
20. New York Giants - Levi Brown, OT, Penn St
The G-men lost a lot with the retirement of Tiki Barber, but they traded for Ruben Droughns to come in and replace him. It won't matter however if they don't get someone to replace Luke Pettigout who left to sign with Tampa. Enter Brown.
21. Denver Broncos - Adam Carriker, DE, Nebraska
All offseason I had the Broncos looking at corner for help. They addressed that need in trading for Dre Bly. Now they can focus on shoring up the front seven with Carriker. He can play end or tackle, and that will help offset the loss of Trevor Pryce from last offseason.
22. Dallas Cowboys - Reggie Nelson, S, Florida
The Boys have needs on the o-line that could be addressed too, but with Nelson on the board, new coach Wade Phillips will push Jones to address the hole in the secondary first.
23. Kansas City Chiefs - Robert Meacham, WR, Tennessee
KC really needs some help in a few areas, but WR is not the least. They need a guy who can do everything well, and Meacham is that player. He can come in and provide new starter Damon Huard the options he needs to be sucessful.
24. New England Patriots - Aaron Ross, CB, Texas
The Pats have been very active this offseason, and grabbing Adalius Thomas at LB, and Donte Stallworth at WR were good acquisitions. Now adding Ross to the secondary will help this team in the area they need the most.
25. New York Jets - Greg Olsen, TE, Miami
The Jets biggest priority this offseason was to get themselves a good solid back for their running game. Thomas Jones will be that back. Now they can focus on giving Chad Pennington another weapon in Olsen, the best TE on the board.
26. Philadelphia Eagles - Paul Posluzny, LB, Penn St
The Eagles have a need at LB and with Linebacker U's current most progeny still on the board, they will jump to keep him in PA. Paul brings the right type of attitude to the game, and to the locker room as well.
27. New Orleans Saints - Chris Houston, CB, Arkansas
The Saints would love for Posluzny to fall to them, but when he doesn't they will fill their need at corner instead. No DB helped his stock more at the combine than did Chris Houston. His blazing 40-time pushed him into the late first round, and New Orleans will be happy to have that speed working for them next season.
28. New England Patriots - Michael Griffin, S, Texas
How big of a need is secondary in New England. Enough that it will take both of the Patriots first rounders to fill it. After selecting Aaron Ross earlier, the Pats will look to safety with this next pick, and with Landry and Nelson gone, Griffin is the man. The Texas teammates will look great together in New England's now solid secondary.
29. Baltimore Ravens - Anthony Spencer, DE, Perdue
The Ravens biggest loss of the offseason came when Adalius Thomas bolted Baltimore for New England. Ozzie Newsome will not wait long to replace him. Anthony Spencer is the same type of player. Good size and speed, with the ability to play with his hands in the dirt or on his hips.
30. San Diego Chargers - Dewayne Bowe, WR, LSU
San D's resigning of Kris Dielman was huge as it eliminated a need to pick o-line help here. Losing Donnie Edwards hurts, but all of the 1st round linebacker talent will have been sucked up at this point. This leaves replacing Keenan McCardell as the Bolts top priority, and Bowe is almost a McCardell clone, only younger and a step faster.
31. Chicago Bears - Brandon Merriweather, S, Miami
What the Bears really need is a QB to replace Grossman, but choosing Stanton or Smith here would be a reach. Instead, the team will look to replace its depleted secondary, and they will look to the well that brought them standout Devin Hester last year. Merriweather is a similar athlete, and will come into Chi Town and immediately fill a hole in the secondary.
32. Indianapolis Colts - Quentin Moses, DE, Georgia
It is amazing that a team as good as Indy can have a defense with such holes. As of this writing, Cato June has not yet been resigned by Indy, and that leaves another hole on the defense. DT is also a big need, and if Nick Harper stays unsigned, this team is going to have trouble repeating their title dreams. Quentin Moses is a talent who if not for his disappointing senior season could have been competing with Gaines Adams and Jamaal Anderson for first DE chosen. He has the size and speed to play up or down, and Indy will value that flexibility especially now.
