It's Mock Draft Time

Here is my latest mock draft.

ROUND 1

No. Team Player, Position School Comments

1 Texans Reggie Bush, RB USC

Bush is the top overall player and potentially a transcendent talent. Houston would be foolish to do anything else.

2 Saints D'Brickashaw Ferguson, OT UVa

Ultimately I think Ferguson is the guy for N.O. but perhaps not at this spot.

3 Titans Matt Leinart, QB USC

This just makes too much sense not to do—unless he’s off the board. If so they take Ferguson or Williams.

4 Jets Mario Williams, DE NC St.

Williams is the consensus #1 defender on the board. Even the Jets cannot mess up this draft. They should end up with Leinart, Williams, Ferguson, or Hawk.

5 Packers Vernon Davis, TE Maryland

Think, "Antonio Gates with sicker athleticism."

6 49ers A.J. Hawk, OLB Ohio St.

Hawk is the consensus #2 defender.

7 Raiders Haloti Ngata, DT Oregon

Ngata could play 4-3 tackle or 3-4 nose guard.

8 Bills Broderick Bunkley, DT FL St.

Bunkley is a major disruptor. FSU had the best college defensive line I saw last season.

9 Lions Michael Huff, S Texas

The Lions need a little of everything. Virtually no selection in this spot would surprise me.

10 Cardinals Vince Young, QB Texas

Denny Green, who needs a young QB, is probably the best hope for Vince Young who needs to go to a place where he will be properly developed.

11 Rams Jimmy Williams, CB Va Tech.

Williams ran a little slower than expected but is considered by many the best of a deep crop of corners.

12 Browns Winston Justice, OT USC

He had a fantastic pro-day but the question about him is whether he has matured.

13 Ravens Tye Hill, CB Clemson

Hill will provide some quality depth in the nickel immediately.

14 Eagles Kamerion Wimbley, DE FL St.

Off the charts athleticism but limited experience.

15 Broncos f/ Atl Chad Jackson, WR Florida

Jackson has good size and surprising speed. He may not start but the Broncos have no depth behind Smith and Lelie.

16 Dolphins Ernie Sims, OLB FL St.

Sims brings speed and provides leadership.

17 Vikings Jay Cutler, QB Vanderbilt

Should any of the top 3 QBs slide down I doubt they would get past Minny.

18 Cowboys Jason Allen, S Tennessee

Allen has blazing speed. There is no consensus on him because of the hip injury, which may be degenerative.

19 Chargers Jonathan Joseph, CB S. Carolina

He has speed for days but frankly looked really raw in college. I suspect he's even less ready to contribute than last year's #1 out of S. Carolina who ran his way into the first round, Troy Williamson (WR, Vikings).

20 Chiefs Manny Lawson, DE NC St.

Lawson's quickness is somewhat reminiscent of Simeon Rice.

21 Patriots Bobby Carpenter, OLB Ohio St.

NE needs talent/depth at LB in the worst way. Carpenter is good value. But after surprising everyone by selecting OT Logan Mankins last year, who knows what NE will do?

22 49ers f/ Den Donte Whitner, S Ohio St.

Whitner is a tough, hard hitting, intelligent safety--with 4.4 speed no less.

23 Bucs Eric Winston, OT Miami

Winston is a bit light for some tastes but is a very athletic tackle that brings something in every area.

24 Bengals Antonio Cromartie, CB FL St.

Cromartie is a huge gamble because of his inexperience and injury history. But, I could see Cincy rating him highly based on his size and athleticism. And, Cincy really sticks to its board.

25 Giants Chad Greenway, OLB Iowa

Greenway will likely slide because of workouts but the kid can play. He's a great value.

26 Bears Kelly Jennings, CB Miami

Jennings is a burner with some size at 5'11. I bet Seattle hope he drops just a tad.

27 Panthers Marcus McNeil, OT Auburn

McNeil is better than either current tackle on an o-line that has held Carolina back for 2 yrs now. Of course, the Panthers could go RB but since they'll be looking for someone to split carries with DeShon Foster they could find better value at RB later.

28 Jaguars Ashton Youboty, CB Ohio St.

J'ville loves big corners with speed.

29 Jets f/ Den DeAngelo Williams, RB Memphis

Williams reminds me of James Brooks. It’s a buyers' market for RBs so I think they will all slide.

30 Colts Laurence Moroney, RB Minnesota

This looks like it should be pretty good value and fit.

31 Seahawks Richard Marshall, CB Fresno St.

Marshall is a very good corner from a well regarded college program among NFL types (coached by Pat Hill). Seattle might also think safety (e.g., Darnell Bing from 'SC) or DE (e.g., Kiwanuka from BC).

32 Steelers LenDale White, RB USC

LenDale may have torn a hamstring but he does not appear to have suffered any miss-meal cramps. Coming up short on 4th-and-gotta have it on his last meaningful collegiate carry coupled with an off-season in rehab (and perhaps on the banquet circuit) may conspire to push him out of the first round.

ROUND 2

33 Texans Darnell Bing, SS USC

Bing is a true SS with range, in the mold of former Chicago Bear Mark Carrier

34 Saints Santonio Holmes, WR Ohio St.

Holmes is a flyer with good hands. He merely needs more polish.

35 Jets Nick Mangold, C Ohio St.

Mangold is perhaps the best interior lineman in the draft.

36 Packers DeMeco Ryans, LB Alabama

He's smart, versatile, and could potentially start right away.

37 Broncos f/ SF Marcedes Lewis, TE UCLA

Tall, slender, pass catching TE reminds me a good bit of former Sun Devil Todd Heap.

38 Raiders Matthias Kiwanuka, DE Boston College

Kiwi has fallen on some teams’ boards, despite his productivity, based on a lackluster Sr. Bowl, okay workouts, and a bum shoulder. Some see him as a one-trick pony; a speed rusher with a quick first step. He could be a big bargain.

39 Titans Abdul Hodge, LB Iowa

Hodge is smart and a hitter; a Kirk Ferenz player. He’s a bit smallish and lacks blazing speed, which limits him to the inside.

40 Lions Davin Joseph, G Oklahoma

Joseph is more of an athletic than road-grater type guard, with some potential to even play tackle. He is likely the #1 pure guard.

41 Cardinals Sinorice Moss, WR Miami

His breakaway speed is uncoachable. He could be a gamebreaker in the return game right away, a la Dante Hall.

42 Bills Daniel Bullocks, S Nebraska

He is a ballhawking FS with range and speed. He really impressed in the Sr. Bowl workouts and in the game.

43 Browns Gabe Watson, DT Michigan

He seems like the prototype 3-4 NT. If you run that defense you have to go get that guy.

44 Ravens Max Jean-Gilles, G Georgia

A mammoth road-grater guard that had trouble with his weight a few years back that seems under better control. He has played a little tackle but is best as a run-blocking guard.

45 Eagles Joseph Addai, RB LSU

Addai is uber-versatile and big enough (214 lbs) to carry the load.

46 Rams Tamba Hali, DE Penn St.

Hali provides quality depth, and the ability to start in a pinch for St. Louis. The quality at the position drops off dramatically for St. Louis after the two starters.

47 Falcons Ko Simpson, S S. Carolina

Simpson has the goods. The questions about him surround his maturity—and he’s already 23.

48 Vikings Thomas Howard, LB UTEP

Howard has safety-type speed and adds some pass rush. The Vikings need depth at all three LB positions.

49 Cowboys D’Qwell Jackson, LB Maryland

Jackson played inside in a 3-4 at Maryland.

50 Chargers Ray Edwards, DE Purdue

Edwards is a big (270+) all-purpose end that could be effective in a 3-4 or 4-3.

51 Vikings f/ Mia Taitusi Latui, G USC

Latui is a big guard with some athleticism.

52 Patriots Maurice Drew, RB UCLA

Drew’s versatility is much like a young Kevin Faulk’s.

53 Redskins Demetrius Williams, WR Oregon

Williams is a big possession receiver that uses his body well and has enough speed to get himself open.

54 Chiefs Travis Wilson, WR Oklahoma

Big things were expected of Wilson but he did not put up big numbers last year playing in an unstable QB situation.

55 Bengals Babatunde Oshinowo, DT Stanford

Oshinowo is probably best suited to play in a one-gap scheme or next to a double-team magnet like Sam Adams.

56 Giants Orien Harris, DT Miami

Harris is a two-gap, run stuffing tackle. The Giants lost just such a tackle in Kendrick Clancy this off-season.

57 Bears Joe Klopfenstein, TE Colorado

Klopfenstein is a tall, lanky tight end who distinguished himself at the post-season all-star games.

58 Panthers Leonard Pope, TE Georgia

Pope is a down the field, tall tight end with a great frame; everything you need to eventually be an all-pro.

59 Bucs Stanley McClover, DE Auburn

McClover has great speed (4.7) for his size (262) and put up nice numbers (15.5 sacks in 2 years) at Auburn.

60 Jaguars Darryl Tapp, DE Va Tech

An undersized but strong end that plays the run quite well and has a burst off the edge. He's another prospect that may be off the board just before Seattle selects.

61 Broncos Daryn Colledge, OT Boise St.

A light (< 300 lbs) and athletic tackle with good technique and instincts in pass protection.

62 Colts Mark Anderson, DE Alabama

Anderson should be a rotation DE on virtually any team that rotates defensive linemen.

63 Seahawks Dominique Byrd, TE USC

Unless his injuries scare teams off this is right around where Byrd should come off the board. If Tapp is available Seattle probably takes him. I love Byrd's ability to be a featured tight end or play a secondary role in the run game. He's deadly in the red zone and can get behind LBs in a cover-2 scheme.

64 Steelers Maurice Stovall, WR Notre Dame

Stovall’s size and game is reminiscent of Plaxico Burress from a few years ago.

GO SEAHAWKS!!!

(to comment, click the green number to the right of the title above)