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2009 Updated Two Round Mock Draft |
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Written by Rob Tribbett
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Mar 12, 2009 at 08:18 AM |
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Page 2 of 3
17. New York Jets - Darius Heyward Bey, WR, Maryland
The Jets have been aggressive in the off season accumulating pieces on defense for new head coach Rex Ryan. However, after losing Laveranues Coles, the Jets have a big hole at their second WR spot. Chansi Stuckey showed flashes in 2008 and Brad Smith has some value, but neither are legitimate number twos. Darius Heyward Bey's stats are underwhelming due to poor QB play at Maryland, but his size and speed combination are hard to ignore. He would immediately contribute as a field stretcher for the Jets offense, giving Cotchery and Dustin Keller some room to maneuver in the middle of the field. The Jets may also be tempted by Mark Sanchez, as Rex Ryan saw the success the Ravens had with a rookie QB and the Jets current QB situation is uninspiring. It may seem like a longshot, but the Jets may also consider adding a tailback here, as Thomas Jones is getting older and Leon Washington is at his best in spot duty and is a free agent after the 2008 season.
18. Chicago Bears - Mark Sanchez, QB, USC
The Bears had a solid 2008 season but are not without holes. Many have them targeting a WR here, but if Heyward Bey and Maclin are both gone, this may be too high for Kenny Britt or Hakeem Nicks - and Percy Harvin is awfully similar to Devin Hester. It seems like every year we are touting that the Bears take a QB, but they should be unable to pass on USC QB Mark Sanchez. There are legitimate concerns about his lack of experience - the last QB to be first round selection after just one year as a starter was Akili Smith, but his arm strength, accuracy, and athleticism allow him to have more upside than even Matthew Stafford. The Bears could also look at offensive tackle here, where John Tait has retired. Eben Britton and William Beatty would be interesting here, but both are more finesse blockers than the Bears typically target. Chicago should not pass on the opportunity to select Sanchez if he was to fall this far.
19. Tampa Bay Bucs - Josh Freeman, QB, Kansas State
The new regime in Tampa Bay of Raheem Morris needs to find a QB to build around. Brian Griese, Luke McCown, and Josh Johnson do not inspire much confidence and Tampa's willingness to try to acquire Jay Cutler illustrated that. Tampa secured their running back position by signing Derrick Ward and there does not seem to be a wide receiver here worthy of the pick that fits Tampa's offense. Raheem Morris actually was an assistant at Kansas State when Josh Freeman was a freshman so he is well aware of his rocket arm and above average mobility. Freeman needs some time to develop, but has all of the tools you look for in an NFL starter. The Kansas State system was a pro style offense, which should bode well for his transition to the NFL. Some may think this is a little high, but much like the Bears and Lions, Tampa will choose to start with the most important position on the field.
20. Detroit Lions (From Dallas) - Rey Maualuga, MLB, USC
As often seen in the draft process, teams try to take shortcuts in filling needs and later regret the decision. The Lions made a mistake selecting Jordan Dizon in the second round last year and now still need a starter at middle linebacker after he had a poor rookie season. Rey Maualuga is a freakish natural athlete who can deliver a big hit in the middle. He may be a bit of a thumper but he is the type of downhill player that Jim Schwartz could really use. His physical nature and aggressiveness will endear him to Lions fans and help give the Lions a face on defense. The Lions also need to look at their offensive line and could target William Beatty or Eben Britton here. The Lions made a great trade moving Roy Williams to obtain this pick and two others and have enough needs that they will be able to grab two starters in the first round.
21. Philadelphia Eagles - Brandon Pettigrew, TE, Oklahoma State
The Eagles cut ties with former starter L.J. Smith who was injured throughout the season and ineffective when he played. Brent Celek played well towards the end of the season and in the playoffs, but he is a more of a pass catcher than a complete tight end. Brandon Pettigrew is a rare tight end that can block and be a threat as a receiver. He ran slower than some thought so he may fall some, but he will be in great demand here with Minnesota and Atlanta also considering him. He could immediately step in for the Eagles in the starting lineup and be the red zone threat they so desperately need. If the Eagles do not take Pettigrew here, they are likely to opt for either running back help in the form of Chris Wells or Knowshon Moreno, or try to solidify their left tackle position after losing Tra Thomas. William Beatty and Eben Britton would be best the potential offensive tackle prospects available.
22. Minnesota Vikings - Percy Harvin, WR, Florida
The Vikings worked aggressively to sign T.J. Houshmandzadeh but were unsuccessful. Percy Harvin is not the classic possession receiver that Houshmandzadeh is, but he is an exciting player who can create instant impact. Adding him to a team that features Adrian Peterson and Bernard Berrian will lead to a much more explosive offense. There are some concerns about Harvin's durability, but his skill is not in question. The Vikings could opt for a more polished receiver such as North Carolina's Hakeem Nicks or Rutgers WR Kenny Britt, but Harvin is too talented to pass up. If the Vikings go another route, they could look at Alex Mack or Max Unger to replace Matt Birk, or add a right tackle, potentially Eben Britton. Brandon Pettigrew will be enticing for the Vikings if he falls here. However, the Vikings pursuit of Housh shows that they understand they need to add a receiver to their offense.
23. New England Patriots - Clay Matthews, OLB, USC
Early in the draft process, it appeared that it was a lock that New England would select a cornerback, but subsequent signings of Shawn Springs and Leigh Bodden have made the position not a priority. New England traded Mike Vrabel and despite the outstanding play of 2008 rookie Jerod Mayo, need to add more youth to the linebacker position. They are likely to target either Clint Sintim of Virginia or Clay Matthews of USC here, as both linebackers offer versatility that fits well in the Patriots scheme. Sintim played for Al Groh, who like Bill Belichick is a Bill Parcells disciple and is a better prospect than many give credit for. However, Matthews has a terrific pedigree as his dad and uncle were both NFL stars and he has worked hard at USC to emerge as a solid NFL prospect with significant upside. He can make a difference in all phases of the game and would team with Mayo to give the Pats an explosive young linebacking corps.
24. Atlanta Falcons - Robert Ayers, DE, Tennessee
Atlanta had a terrific 2008 season following an amazing draft that included star QB Matt Ryan and new middle linebacker Curtis Lofton. However, to reach the next level they must improve their defense. The Falcons have some transition at the two outside linebacker positions as long time star Keith Brooking was released and Michael Boley opted to sign with the Giants. Mike Peterson was brought in from the Jaguars and is the likely starter for them on the weakside. The best outside linebacker on the board is Virginia's Clint Sintim, who fits on the strong side to compete with Stephen Nicholas. DE Robert Ayers and Peria Jerry are the best linemen available, while Darius Butler and Alphonso Smith the best secondary players available. All players would add something to the team, but the best overall pick would be Ayers, the explosive DE from Tennessee who had an outstanding senior season. If the Falcons took Ayers, they could kick Jamaal Anderson inside with more frequency.
25. Miami Dolphins - Alphonso Smith, CB, Wake Forest
Miami's 2008 season was the perfect illustration of the impact of quality management and coaching. Bill Parcells and Jeff Ireland rebuilt the Dolphins defense and were fortunate to sign Chad Pennington. Still, the Dolphins have a variety of needs to fill as the 2009 season approaches. Andre Goodman was not retained and they really need to add a cornerback. Wake Forest star Alphonso Smith may lack ideal NFL measures, but he is an amazingly productive collegiate player who will bring top flight intangibles to the Dolphins. Bill Parcells has shown a willingness to use undersized cornerbacks if they possess great ball skills as Smith does. If he opts take a bigger corner, Darius Butler would make sense here, but Smith is a slightly better player. A true #1 wide receiver is a need for the Dolphins, but when in doubt, point towards defense for the Parcells. Miami could also look for a rush linebacker here such as Clint Sintim or Larry English, as they have little at the position outside of Joey Porter.
26. Baltimore Ravens - Hakeem Nicks, WR, North Carolina
Baltimore did well in 2008 combining strong defensive play with opportunistic offense. However, they must find replacements at cornerback after Chris McAlister was released with Samari Rolle potentially soon to follow. Both players struggled mightily in 2008 and lost time to Fabian Washington. The Ravens brought in Dominique Foxworth, which gives them some flexibility here. That flexibility could allow the Ravens to address their other main area of need - wide receiver. Derrick Mason will 35 before the start of the season and is a free agent after 2009. The depth behind him is not encouraging. Hakeem Nicks may not be the flashiest or fastest WR in the draft but he uses his size well to get open. Baltimore is often aggressive about addressing needs and Nicks would give Joe Flacco a reliable target. If the Ravens do go for the cornerback position, Darius Butler is the most likely selection here.
27. Indianapolis Colts - Peria Jerry, DT, Ole Miss
The Colts have seemingly needed a defensive tackle for the last few years and the problem has really been increased by the release of Ed Johnson. Peria Jerry is a much better player than many people give him credit for. He was flat out dominant at times and his up the field penetration ability make him an interesting prospect for the Colts scheme. Bill Polian is one of the best GMs in the NFL about attacking his areas of need and defensive tackle is certainly that. Many are pointing to a wideout here to replace Marvin Harrison, which is certainly possible, however the Colts would be in much better shape if they took Jerry here then target a wide receiver in Round 2. If Polian does opt for a WR in the first, Kenny Britt of Rutgers would be the most likely selection. However, as long as Jerry checks out medically, he is the obvious pick for Indianapolis here.
28. Philadelphia Eagles (from Carolina) - Chris Wells, RB, Ohio State
This would be a dream scenario for the Eagles. If they are able to get Pettigrew with their first Round 1 pick, they will be able to choose to address their running back or offensive tackle needs here. Eben Britton and William Beatty would both be intriguing values for a team that needs to replace both 2008 starting tackles, but they may be able to make due by shifting Shawn Andrews to left tackle and having his brother Stacy Andrews play right tackle. However, the value of Wells here is too much to ignore. He deserves to go higher in the draft but may fall because of needs. He would be a great complement to Brian Westbrook and can handle a full time load when Westbrook inevitably goes down to injury. He is a strong inside runner that can combine with Brandon Pettigrew to really bolster the Eagles red zone offense. Selecting two offensive skill players in the first would also help to placate QB Donovan McNabb.
29. New York Giants - Kenny Britt, WR, Rutgers
The Giants were not the same after the loss of Plaxico Burress. As strong as their running game is, their offense needs a big play threat to prevent teams from crowding the line of scrimmage. The Giants worked hard to improve their defense in free agency, freeing themselves up to target receiver here. Amani Toomer is unlikely to be back and the rest of the Giants receivers are better suited as possession receivers. Kenny Britt is a large target at almost 6'3 who put together two strong years in a row at Rutgers. He uses his size well to create mismatches and can get down the field. Britt is the last of the first round quality receivers available, though Hakeem Nicks may be a slightly better fit here if he was to fall. The Giants did such a great job addressing their needs in free agency that they do not have many outside of receiver, so Britt seems like an obvious pick if he is available.
30. Tennessee Titans - Darius Butler, CB, Connecticut
It seems like every year we are proclaiming the Titans will take a receiver high in the draft and they go another route. It has worked out well the last two years with Michael Griffen and Chris Johnson in the first round. Now, they are at a position where there are not any receivers worthy of this pick, so they are likely bypass the position again. The Titans love their defensive linemen and lost Albert Haynesworth, which may make the line a priority here, but they signed Javan Haye and have a lot of depth at the position including emerging star Jason Jones. The Titans have a Pro Bowl player in Courtland Finnegan, but Nick Harper is 35 years old and the depth below him is uninspiring. Darius Butler is an NFL ready corner with good size who can handle himself on the island. He will be a great counterpart to Finnegan and should get the chance to create turnovers. Local product D.J. Moore may get some consideration here, but there are some concerns about his size.
31. Arizona Cardinals - Knowshon Moreno, RB, Georgia
Arizona capped off an impressive season with a Super Bowl appearance, despite getting nothing from their rushing game. Tim Hightower was given a chance and failed miserably, despite scoring 10 touchdowns, as he averaged just 2.8 yards per carry. Edgerrin James was featured in the playoffs but lacks the burst he once had. Arizona would be fortunate if Knowshon Moreno fell here. Much like a pre-injury Cadillac Williams, Moreno combines great vision and understanding of the game to be a complete back. He lacks the size of Chris Wells or the pure speed of LeSean McCoy, but he may be a better overall player. Donald Brown would also get some consideration here, but it seems likely the Cardinals will target a tailback to improve their offense. They could also look at offensive line as Mike Gandy struggled in the playoffs - Eben Britton and William Beatty would get a look here. Larry English would also be an interesting fit in their 3-4 defense.
32. Pittsburgh Steelers - William Beatty, OT, Connecticut
Unlike most super Bowl Winners, Pittsburgh has managed to avoid being gutted in the off season, losing only Bryant McFadden and Nate Washington of note. They brought back three of their offensive linemen, which may lessen their need at that position. Many will point to cornerback as the Steelers biggest need, but they are exciting about William Gay's potential and plan on giving him every chance to start. Despite retaining Max Starks, Willie Colon, and Chris Kemoeatu, the Steelers still can not be confident in a line that gave up 49 sacks last year. Connecticut’s William Beatty would be a great addition, as he is a terrific run blocker who projects as a future NFL left tackle and is a good fit in the Steelers scheme. Selecting Beatty would allow the Steelers to move Max Starks to his more natural right tackle position and kick Willie Colon inside to replace Darnell Stapleton. If the Steelers do opt for a corner here, D.J. Moore or Sean Smith are the most obvious possibilities.
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Last Updated ( Mar 12, 2009 at 08:53 AM )
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2009 NFL Mock Draft - Rob Tribbett