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Mock draft: Final take
All's quiet on the Matt Stafford front for now. I know it's been reported the deadline to get a deal done is today, and while I can't confirm that, I remain confident the two sides will iron out their final differences soon. The Lions want Stafford, Stafford wants to be a Lion. Both sides will see to it that it happens.
Now on to my final mock draft. I don't do projected trades so I have Mark Sanchez going lower than most, but I can't see him falling tomorrow. Beyond that, I have the Lions with a little surprise at 33 only because I couldn't find a place for him earlier in the draft.
1. Lions: QB Matt Stafford, Georgia – Jim Schwartz gets his replacement for Bobby Layne from Layne's old high school.
2. Rams: OT Jason Smith, Baylor – No more Orlando Pace means Smith or Eugene Monroe is the pick here.
3. Chiefs: OT Eugene Monroe, Virginia – Scott Pioli keeps close to the vest, but Matt Cassel needs protection.
4. Seahawks: LB Aaron Curry, Wake Forest – Curry replaces Julian Peterson at the position that suits him best.
5. Browns: DE Brian Orakpo, Texas – If Braylon Edwards is traded, Browns can get his replacement later.
6. Bengals: OT Andre Smith, Alabama – When all's said and done, Smith might be the draft's best tackle.
7. Raiders: WR, Jeremy Maclin, Missouri – Raiders keen on giving JaMarcus Russell the proper weapons.
8. Jacksonville: WR Michael Crabtree, Texas Tech – Torry Holt doesn't solve all of Jacksonville's needs at receiver.
9. Packers: DT B.J. Raji, Boston College – Draft's best defensive tackle will haunt Lions for years to come.
10. 49ers: QB Mark Sanchez, USC – Expect someone to trade up and take Sanchez before 10.
11. Bills: OT Michael Oher, Ole Miss – Jason Peters deal means Bills need a tackle desperately.
12. Broncos: DE Tyson Jackson, LSU – Broncos are determined to fortify the AFC's worst defense.
13. Redskins: DE Robert Ayers, Tennessee – Play Ayers next to Haynesworth and get out of the way.
14. Saints: CB Malcolm Jenkins, Ohio State – Jenkins could go No. 9 to the Packers.
15. Texans: LB Brian Cushing, USC – First of three Trojan linebackers ticketed for Round 1.
16. Chargers: OLB Aaron Maybin, Penn State – Shawne Merriman's got one year left on his contract; Maybin's the future.
17. Jets: QB Josh Freeman, Kansas State – If Jets pass, Freeman could fall to the end of the first.
18. Broncos: OLB Everette Brown, Florida State – I think I'd rather have Jay Cutler.
19. Buccaneers: DT Peria Jerry, Ole Miss – Talented tackle gives new-look Bucs an infusion of youth up front.
20. Lions: LB Rey Maualuga, USC – If Maualuga's gone, Lions should trade down or draft Ziggy Hood.
21. Eagles: RB Knowshon Moreno, Georgia – Moreno, Bryant Westbrook give Eagles deadly 1-2 punch.
22. Vikings: OT Eben Britton, Arizona – Vikings need a fix at right tackle, could go receiver instead.
23. Patriots: LB Clay Matthews, USC – Patriots have 11 selections in draft, far fewer holes.
24. Falcons: CB Vontae Davis – Falcons need help at outside linebacker and in the secondary.
25. Dolphins: RB Beanie Wells, Ohio State – Parcells goes best player available; Ronnie Brown could be traded.
26. Ravens: WR Percy Harvin, Florida – Someone will gamble on Harvin's immense talent late in Round 1.
27. Colts: DT Evander Hood, Missouri – Colts got gashed against the run last year. Hood will help.
28. Bills: DE Michael Johnson, Georgia Tech – Bills had just 24 sacks last year; Johnson's athleticism worth a gamble.
29. Giants: WR Darrius Heyward-Bey, Maryland – Jets a possibility for Heyward-Bey if they pass on Freeman.
30. Titans: CB Darius Butler, UConn – Butler will contribute in the secondary, return game.
31. Cardinals: RB LeSean McCoy, Pitt – If Anquan Boldin gets traded, Arizona needs a receiver.
32. Steelers: C Alex Mack, Cal – Mack can play guard or center; Steelers have Big Ben's best interests in mind.
33. Lions: TE Brandon Pettigrew, Oklahoma State - Lions have other needs, but Pettigrew's too good to pass if he falls.
Labels: Detroit Lions, NFL draft
posted by Paula Pasche at
12:01 PM
12 Comments:
BOO this man!!! Dave you are the last person I would have thought to make a mock like this. I am fine with a Stafford pick as long as the next three picks are all D. I don't see how they can not try to address this D. Please get it right Mayhew/Schwartz/Lewand/Shack/Ford/whowever else has input in the debacle of a franchise
In the interest of full disclosure, I had Pettigrew going to the Falcons in my original mock for the paper. When the Gonzalez trade happened, I tried to stick him to Miami with the next pick, but if I go under the guise of Parcells taking the best available player, I think Beanie wins out there. Plus the Lions need a TE. In my mock for the paper, I had the Lions taking C/G Eric Wood of Louisville.
Steve, this isn't how I would draft necessarily - though BPA works for me. In fact, if something happens and they take Curry No. 1, I think Pettigrew could be in play at No. 20.
I still think they'd most like to trade that pick and snag an extra third- or fourth-rounder. But after talking to a few NFL folks in recent weeks, I'm not sure the value is there for a DL at 33 like I previously thought.
Dave
I did notice that Hood and Jerry were both off the board at 33. I don't think Brace or Maola should go that early so we are left in quite a predicament. I think William Beatty may be a good pick at 33 but then they would still probably try to snag a TE in the third. Either way, I have a feeling they will go way more toward offense than what they should in this draft.
I'd be thrilled if Maulauga falls to 20, but I think he may go as high as 12. I just don't see him getting by SanDiego and then Denver twice.
I would imagine if they go with Stafford they are thinking Defense at 20 and 33, but if a guy like pettigrew drops all the way to 33, i doubt they pass him up. With all the talk of Lang, I wouldn't be surprised if they nabbed him at 33 though.
I do think the 2nd pick will be Maulaluga or Lauranitis. the 3rd pick(33) can go anywhere IMO.
I have absolutely no problem with Pettigrew at #33. Heck I think he would be good value at #20. A TE like Pettigrew makes the run game work better, which is what Schwartz wants to make happen. They can get good pass receiving TEs up through the 7th round, but there are few complete TEs like Pettigrew. Taking Pettigrew is better than reaching for one of the OTs or DTs who wouldn't be of good value.
DT depth kind of stinks this year, so I might take Ziggy at #20 instead of Maualuga, and then take Jasper Brinkley, Scott McKillop, Jason Phillips, or a couple other guys later on in the 3rd round. But I can't fault taking Rey, since his passion would give the defense some life which has been sadly lacking.
Question: You said Gerald Alexander practiced with the team, so does that mean they don't need another starter or do they still ratchet up the need meter on FS.
I still hate the Trent Dilfer, I mean Matt Stafford, pick; but that just means they'll wait for their franchise LT for next year, I guess.
DT and MLB should be our highest priorities this year, but we will get second rate players at both positions probably
Yeah, that's what it may come down to. A guy along the lines of Fluellen or a Pettigrew. In that comparison, you have to go with the stud TE.
god i hate this. just when i've gotten both feet on the stafford wagon, curry has to go and say something that makes me step out again. that guy is just awesome. stafford is too, but i just can't decide who karma is gonna shine [or crap] on between them.
at this point, i hope stafford doesn't sign and we get curry. it'll prolly flip flop all the way up until a contract is signed though.
The silence is deafening!
I hear crickets!
I was really expecting a lot of news to be coming out today, but it seems like everyone is really doing the hush hush thing.
I wonder what that means.
the longer it takes for this to come out, the more likely that it could be Curry.
Is everyone high? Seriously, just because the Lions draft Stafford at 1 doesn't mean we are ignoring the defense completely. We have 5 of the top 82 picks.
Safety's still an option in the draft. It was good to see Alexander out there running around, but you don't know what you have in him until he puts the pads on. Plus, Anthony Henry can always play the position, too. That's really a case of BPA, if they get to Pick 65 and there's a good CB left, they might jump. If a solid safety is tops on their board, that'll be the pick. They have options in the secondary.
I'm still sitting by phone, waiting to pass on any Matt Stafford-related updates that I hear.
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