2009 NFL Mock Draft - Round 1 Updated
April 18, 2009 at 12:00 pm | Article by Paul Hickey |
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With the NFL Draft just a handful of days away, and trades taking place - like the Eagles sending the 28th overall pick to Buffalo for LT Jason Peters, we have to continue to update our three round mock. Here’s round one.
After reading this gem of a first round breakdown, please check out the second round, as well as the third round of our 2009 NFL Mock Draft.
1. Detroit Lions - Matthew Stafford, QB, Georgia - Back at one, Matthew Stafford may be an early-entry candidate, but the way he’s handled this entire draft process reminds us a lot of how Matt Ryan did last year. With a plethora of players on Detroit’s radar, we’re now going back to our original gut feeling that Stafford will be the QB of the future in Detroit. It goes against what most Detroit fans probably want the Lions to do, but from a value standpoint, it makes the most sense.
2. St. Louis Rams - Jason Smith, OT, Baylor - After releasing Orlando Pace this past week, it’s clear that the Rams will be using this pick on a tackle, and Baylor’s Jason Smith is rising rapidly after looking like a seasoned starter at many of his workouts. His presence will help both Marc Bulger and Steven Jackson. Look for the Rams to take a WR in round two now that Torry Holt has been released.
3. Kansas City Chiefs - Brian Orakpo, OLB/DE, Texas - Speaking of rising rapidly, the fact that Orakpo can play multiple positions will make Scott Pioli want to snag him at this spot. He’s big enough to play end in a 3-4, quick enough to play OLB in a 3-4, and his natural position is DE in a 4-3. Look for Orakpo to be the Adalius Thomas of Clancy Pendergast’s defense in K.C.
4. Seattle Seahawks - Eugene Monroe, OT, Virginia - With T.J. Houshmandzadeh now a member of the Seahawks, they’re pretty loaded at WR and don’t need to look for Michael Crabtree or Jeremy Maclin with this pick. Monroe is the guy, as he’ll replace aging LT Walter Jones sooner than later.
5. Cleveland Browns - Aaron Curry, OLB, Wake Forest - We’re extremely impressed with Curry. He can play multiple LB positions, as a great pass rusher from the outside, or as an inside linebacker. He has a high football IQ and a great attitude. Curry ran a 4.56 forty and was a top performer in the bench press at the combine. In Cleveland, he’d fit in nicely opposite Kamerion Wimbley, and could play some in the middle next to D’Qwell Jackson. He’s definitely a guy for fantasy owners to keep an eye on in tackle-only leagues.
6. Cincinnati Bengals - B.J. Raji, DT, Boston College - Raji’s stock has risen over the past few weeks, and he appears to be the best defensive tackle available this year. His presence would help anchor a weak Bengals defense.
7. Oakland Raiders - Michael Crabtree, WR, Texas Tech - Despite his stress fracture in his left foot, discovered at the 2009 NFL Scouting Combine, Crabtree still plans to run at his pro day at the end of March and insists he feels great. With Johnnie Lee Higgins and Chaz Schilens currently in place as their starters, Crabtree is a great pick for Al Davis’ club. This isn’t the best spot for him from a fantasy perspective, but he’s still #1 on our dynasty rookie big board.
8. Jacksonville Jaguars - Jeremy Maclin, WR, Missouri - When it’s all said and done, this kid might be the best player to come out of this draft. He runs crisp routes and has top speed, making him someone who could come in and make an immediate fantasy impact, earning the number one WR role. Look for Maclin to be a top five or six dynasty rookie pick in 2009, and contribute in the stat column from day one.
9. Green Bay Packers - Aaron Maybin, DE/OLB, Penn State - Maybin is a lot like Orakpo in that he’s a big, solid outside pass rusher, with the ability to play end in a 4-3, or OLB in a 3-4. Dom Capers is looking for another guy he can play at OLB in his new 3-4 in Green Bay. Aaron Kampman is expected to man one spot, and Maybin would be a great fit for the other. His fantasy value will be much higher if he plays DE in a 4-3.
10. San Francisco 49ers - Mark Sanchez, QB, USC - The recent buzz around Sanchez is that he won’t fall out of the top 10, especially if the Lions end up taking Matthew Stafford. We hear the Buccaneers may try to trade up for him, but for mock purposes, he falls here, to the Niners, who are in desperate need of QB help whether they like to admit it or not. Sanchez won’t be a seasonal fantasy option, but dynasty owners should take a look at him in the third or fourth rounds of rookie drafts.
11. Buffalo Bills - Michael Oher, OT, Mississippi - After trading LT Jason Peters to the Eagles for the 28th overall pick, Buffalo will likely use their first selection on a tackle. Oher is the best avaialble at this point, and should be a good fit and easy to sign - unlike Peters.
12. Denver Broncos - Clay Matthews, OLB/DE - USC - As he proves versatile enough to play both DE in a 4-3 or OLB in a 3-4, his NFL Draft stock is rising considerably. Matthews would be a great fit for what Mike Nolan is trying to implement in Denver, and he looked great at the combine, clocking a 4.67 forty time - fourth best among linebackers.
13. Washington Redskins - Everette Brown, DE Florida State - Although Brown is not tall for a DE (6′2″), he’s an explosive pass rusher who would fit well as a pass rushing third end in Washington who can also play linebacker. He ran a 4.73 forty at the combine and impressed in the broad jump. The ‘Skins currently have no defensive end prospect, and could go with Tyson Jackson here as well.
14. New Orleans Saints - Brian Cushing, LB, USC - Cushing is a guy who can really do it all. WIth Jonathan Vilma entrenched as the starter at MLB, the rookie from USC will come in at start at WLB, helping new defensive coordinator Gregg Williams install his aggressive brand of football. Scott Fujita could move back over to the strong side if this happens, which would make Cushing a very solid dynasty IDP prospect.
15. Houston Texans - Tyson Jackson, DE, LSU - Jackson is consistently ranked as one of the top three defensive linemen heading into the draft. He’s versatile enough to play a five technique in a 3-4 set, or left end in a 4-3. He’s 6′5″, 296 - which is huge - but he could also be a featured pass rusher. Opposite Mario Williams, he’d be an instant fantasy threat in leagues that require starters at defensive line.
16. San Diego Chargers - Percy Harvin, WR, Florida - Chris Chambers was disappointing in 2008, and Vincent Jackson is a large, slow WR. San Diego needs a versatile pass catcher with speed and big play ability, and Harvin reminds us a lot of Eddie Royal and DeSean Jackson. He should be a top 10 overall dynasty rookie pick in 2009.
17. New York Jets - Chris Wells, RB, Ohio State - Fantasy owners, get pumped. It may move a little in the short pants when Roger Goodell calls Wells’ name on draft day. The Jets may appear to have a running game already, but Thomas Jones is 30, and Leon Washington isn’t a power guy. Rex Ryan will want to pound the rock with a young QB at the helm, and Wells is the perfect fit. A 1,000 yard, 10 TD rookie season from the big bruiser could be realistic if he stays healthy. He’s our third overall dynasty rookie prospect heading into 2009 and he looked solid at the 2009 NFL Scouting Combine, running a 4.59 forty.
18. Denver Broncos (from Chicago Bears) - Donald Brown, RB, Connecticut (pictured) - The Broncos could go defense here, as they have a lot of needs. They also signed a slew of veteran running backs this off-season, but Brown’s stock is rising and he could end up being this year’s Chris Johnson. Denver traded their top offensive weapon in Jay Cutler for this pick, and could surprise everyone and use it to draft another. Brown doesn’t have 4.2 speed like Johnson, but he absolutely will produce at the pro level. He has great quickness running north and south between the tackles, and runs with suprising power for his size. He doesn’t have breakaway speed, but should be a great receiver out of the backfield at the pro level. Landing in a spot like this would instantaneously make him a dynasty league superstar candidate.
19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Hakeem Nicks, WR, North Carolina - The fourth WR drafted in the first round will go to a team who desperately needs one. 2009 will be the year of the rookie WR, just as 2008 was the year of the rookie RB. Look for Nicks to surprise folks in his first pro season and be a solid dynasty prospect from day one.
20. Detroit (from Dallas) - Eben Britton, OT, Arizona - The Lions desperately need help at offensive line, but with Buffalo picking at 11 and trading Jason Peters, they’ll miss out on Oher and be forced to take Britton, the next best tackle.
21. Philadelphia Eagles - Knowshon Moreno, RB, Georgia - The first of Philly’s two first rounders is used on Brian Westbrook’s eventual replacement. Westy will be 30 at the start of 2009, and Moreno has very similar skill sets and can be used in the same way. Moreno landing here would easily make him a top four dynasty rookie selection and put him in position for a career full of 1,000 yard, 50 reception seasons.
22. Minnesota Vikings - William Beatty, OT, Connecticut - Honestly, it’s looking more and more like the Vikings could trade this pick, unless Percy Harvin falls here. With tackles flying off the board, somebody will potentially want to trade up to snag Beatty here, givng Minnesota the opportunity to stock up on talent later on, or add a big time player like Braylon Edwards or Anquan Boldin here via trade - interesting!
23. New England Patriots - Larry English, DE/OLB, Northern Illinois - New England needs to continue to replenish their LB corps with young talent, and English is versatile. No great IDP impact here, unless English goes to a 4-3 team and plays end.
24. Atlanta Falcons - Brandon Pettigrew, TE, Oklahoma State - Pettigrew woud be freaking dangerous if he ended up in Atlanta. Currently, the Falcons have Justin Peele as their starting TE, and could definitely use an upgrade at the position. If Pettigrew ends up in a spot - like Atlanta - where he can step in and start, he’ll tote around some solid seasonal and dynasty value right off the bat. However, we’re hearing he didn’t run as fast as teams would have liked to see him run at the combine or at his pro day, and there’s a slight change he could slip out of the first round.
25. Miami Dolphins - Kenny Britt, WR, Rutgers - When you look at the Miami Dolphins team, what’s missing? A big possession WR that can make plays in the red zone and demands double coverage. We love Britt, and if he lands in a spot like Miami, he could end up being an NFL number one WR within his first two seasons, making his dynasty potential pretty steep. Britt will be a great late second round rookie dynasty draft flier.
26. Baltimore Ravens - Rey Maualuga, LB, USC - After losing Bart Scott in free agency, and with Ray Lewis aging, the Ravens will definitely bring in another LB with this spot - possibly even another “Rey.” Whichever IDP gets selected here will have massive value.
27. Indianapolis Colts - Peria Jerry, DT, Mississippi - Plain and simply, the right pick for this team.
28. Buffalo Bills (from Carolina through Philly) - Malcolm Jenkins, CB, Ohio State - Jenkins was originally projected as a top 10 pick, but his stock has fallen. He’ll be a solid value here for the Bills, who have had trouble keeping young players healthy and on the field in their secondary. Jenkins will eventually start opposite last year’s first rounder Leodis McKelvin. Buffalo also needs a center pretty badly, and could go with Louisville’s Eric Wood - a riser - here.
29. New York Giants - Vontae Davis, CB, Illinois - The younger brother of 49ers TE Vernon Davis has proven to be a workout warrior like his brother, and is considered by many to be a first round talent. Character issues could cause him to drop further than this, but the G-Men actually need a young cornerback opposite Aaron Ross. They definitely could grab a top WR here, like Heyward-Bey (below), but we think there will be solid WR talent left on the board in rounds two and three for them to add a couple guys to complement Steve Smith and Domenik Hixon.
30. Tennessee Titans - Darrius Heyward-Bey, WR, Maryland - And, boom goes the dynamite. Here it is folks. The Titans finally draft a WR that can come in and make an immediate impact. Heyward-Bey can stretch the field, and regardless of who throws him the rock, the kid makes an impact right away in Tennessee. He could be the sleeper of the second round of dynasty rookie drafts this summer. Heyward-Bey lit up the 2009 NFL Scouting Combine with a 4.30 forty - the fastest among WRs. He also looked like a beast in the other drills, meaning this first round projection should come to fruition.
31. Arizona Cardinals - LeSean McCoy, RB, Pittsburgh - This just makes sense. Tim Hightower won’t carry the full load and Edgerrin James will likely be released this off-season. Arizona has avoided selecting an RB early in recent seasons, but will have the perfect opportunity to lock up their lead back with this pick. Look, this makes McCoy a very solid top 10 dynasty rookie draft pick, and a selection like this assures the quality and depth of this year’s fantasy rookie class.
32. Pittsburgh Steelers - Eric Wood, C, Louisville - The defending champs need some help on the interior of their offensive line and Wood is a rising star.
We encourage you to also check out the Mock Draft Database on DCProSportsReport.com.
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